7 Pickleball Tips For Players of All Levels

Don’t worry if you are not getting a way to improve your pickleball tournaments.

You can do it conveniently by trying these 7 pickleball tips. I have experienced and applied them all to my matches. Therefore, you are assured that you are getting genuine, result-driven pickleball tips for playing a successful pickleball match.

Having it in mind, scroll ahead and know the seven best pickleball tips.

7 Pickleball Tips & Tricks

Hey there, pickleball enthusiast! No matter if you’re just starting out, have some experience, or are already a pro, these 7 Pickleball techniques are sure to help you improve your game.

Let’s dive in!

1.   Always be Prepared

As per my experience, you should be in your ready position. It is the utmost vital tip to keep in mind if you want to make some successful shots.

But do you know what a proper ready position for pickleball is?

If not, don’t worry; keep reading ahead to maintain a balanced posture in pickleball.

• So for a good pickleball position, you should stand straight on your balls. Here many players need to avoid standing on their heels. BUT! It would be best if you did not do so.

• Then it would be best if you widen your hips accordingly.

• Please bend your knees a tad bit.

• Besides acquiring the above individual positions, you need to relax your upper back, neck and jaws.

• Once you are done with this position, pay attention to your paddle. Your arms and paddle should be up in front of you. But its angle should be directed upwards.

Consequently, this was a brief step-by-step procedure to maintain a balanced position in pickleball before every serve and after every shot. You can consider it as the first step towards successful pickleball play.

2. Never Go For Balls Below Your Knees

Yes! You read it right. But why do you deny the lower balls and what to do in this situation?

Let us look ahead to get an answer to this question.

Literally, in my 5 years of pickleball journey, I have seen many players whether beginners or advanced, hitting the balls below their knees.

It is one of their most significant pickleball mistakes as well.

 The reason for calling it a fault is that you are hitting the wrong shots from a low to a higher trajectory.

In this way, you are giving your opponents a chance to make successful shots because they can quickly return the higher shots to you at a lower level below your knees. That is why you should not go for such shots.

However, if you ever feel like answering these types of shots, you can hit a soft dink or neutral shot.

But I recommend it only when you crucially feel the need. Otherwise, it is good to leave the balls below your knees level. 

Also Read: How to Keep the ball low in Pickleball

3. Target Your Opponent’s Feet

Most of the time, you must figure out where to hit the ball. It is pretty natural if you have ever encountered such a situation.

So keep reading ahead to know what to target or what is the best part to target in pickleball.

Accordingly, I suggest you often target your opponent’s feet because you are hitting the ball from a higher to a lower trajectory of your opponent’s feet.

Targeting their feet will make them hit the ball higher, so you can quickly return it. So it would help if you focused on targeting the opponent’s feet wherever you are on the court.

4. Stand Near the Kitchen Line

So here comes the fourth pickleball tip for you. I know many of you already know its importance. But let me clarify it in detail.

After returning the ball, you and your partner have to attain a stable position afterwards and prepare for the coming shot.

So, it would be best if you ran towards the kitchen line and got ready. The main reason for this position is that you can conveniently target your opponents’ feet for successful shots.

However, if you don’t have enough time to reach the non-volley zone line, hit a slightly longer shot or a lob.

This way you will get enough time to get into your appropriate position near the kitchen line.

5. Practice the Serve

You may have heard it often to let your serve in. You may practice the basics of pickleball and let them serve in being a beginner.

But in the case of an intermediate player, just letting the serve in is not crucial. You also have to make it a weapon to make the play competitive.

You can easily do it by practicing the service regularly and more often.

Besides the practice, you must apply a good amount of spin and pace at your shot to use it as a powerful blast against your opponent.

6. Modify Your Third Shot Drop

Some of you may think they don’t encounter third-shot drops. And this is the thought of the beginner pickleball players because they mostly don’t have third-shot drops at a lower level of play.

The first main reason for this is the insufficient control of the balls.

Secondly, players at the net don’t play stronger volleys like the advanced players.

That is why beginner players have less experience with the third shot drops. But as you grew up in pickleball and become an advanced player, you most often encounter the third shot drops.

Consequently, you must work on your third shot drops and make them as robust as possible. After all, they constitute a significant role in your matches.

7. Focus on Your Opponent’s Strengths

I realized players were trying to answer the strengths of their opponents. But you should not do so. Why am I recommending this tip?

Let us understand it with an example.

For instance, your opponent is consistently making backhand shots and even winning points with them. But you need help to return them successfully.

Then you should know that the backhand shot is your opponent’s strength, and you must stay away from it. Because they have already mastered the things you can’t handle.

So what should you do in this situation?

I targeted my opponent’s weak side when I faced such a scenario instead of focusing on the opponent’s strength. It would be profitable to target their forehand if the backhand is their strength.

Conclusion: Pickleball Tips & Techniques

Here comes the time to wind up the 7 tips for pickleball. Accordingly, you must focus on your ready position and practice your serves. That is it for making your play more accessible and more competitive.

Learn Top 10 Pickleball Techniques: