Partners in doubles should be in tandem

5 Strategies for Playing Pickleball at an Advanced Level

Advanced pickleball players use a variety of strategies to improve their game and win more matches. Here are some effective strategies for playing pickleball at an advanced level:

  1. Move your opponent around with dinks: Be intentional with your shots and hit third shot drops and drives to keep your opponent off balance. (https://sportsedtv.com/blog/4-tips-to-master-the-third-shot-drop-in-pickleball
  2. Play to your strengths and your opponents’ weaknesses: Figure out your strengths and your opponent’s weaknesses and use them to your advantage. For instance, if you have a great drive and power game, while your opponents have a great soft game and dinking game, then drive the pickleball more often and try to speed the pickleball up. Avoid the dinking rallies. (https://thepickler.com/blogs/pickleball-blog/pickleball-strategy
  3. Hit to your opponent’s weaker side: If your opponents have amazing forehand drives, but weak backhand drives, hit to their backhands. Know your strengths on the pickleball court and use them! Figure out your opponent’s weaknesses and exploit them.
  4. Stay patient: One of the hardest things to do in the sport of pickleball is to keep the pickleball low (while still over the net). A low pickleball will prevent your opponents from being able to go on the offensive with an aggressive shot. For instance, a low return of serve will likely result in your opponents hitting a drop shot, which you can then volley back.
  5. Communicate with your partner: Communication is key in doubles pickleball. Let your partner know where you are on the court and what shots you are going to take. This will help you avoid collisions and play more effectively as a team. (https://www.paddletek.com/blogs/news/5-doubles-strategies

These strategies can help advanced players take their game to the next level and win more matches. It is important to remember that the best strategy to use depends on the situation, such as the position of the players on the court and the strengths and weaknesses of the players involved.  (https://www.pickleheads.com/blog/pickleball-strategy) 

The information in this blog post comes from my research and experience playing pickleball and can be found in my books — HOW TO GET STARTED PLAYING PICKLEBALL and HOW TO IMPROVE FROM BEGINNER TO INTERMEDIATE IN PICKLEBALL — both available on Amazon. I hope you learn something from this post that you can take onto the courts to help you improve your game.