3 Important Steps to Win Against Bangers in Pickleball
Playing against aggressive opponents like bangers can be difficult. Not only does it force you to play defensively, but it can cause stress at the baseline about how you’re going to cross no man’s land. Without a fast reaction time, bangers can cause unforced errors from their overheads. So it’s important to be prepared to play against players like this and have a pickleball strategy in place.
Use the following key strategies when dealing with power pickleball players to take back control of the court, and increase your game to the next level.
Winning Hand Battles at the Net
There are three parts to winning more battles at the net:
Reading your opponent
Managing the speed-up
Ending the speed-up
Pickleball net
Step #1 - Reading Your Opponent
Reading your opponent is as important as keeping your eye on the ball. For that, you want to know your opponent first. Understand what their athletic background is (if possible) and what style they like to play. Beginners may have a harder time reading their opponents until they are more familiar with different playstyles.
You want to take a mental note if your opponent appears impatient or if they can stay calm on the court. This detail is helpful for beginning and advanced players and can help you anticipate how they will play and how you should respond.
Ask yourself these questions when your opponent is at the NVZ line:
Do they have a backswing?
Do they change their footwork?
Are they taking a step back?
Watch their movements, especially as they start to speed up the ball as you play your first couple of volleys. These will help you learn about them and take advantage of their play as the game progresses.
Step #2 - Managing the Speed Up
The first key to managing the speed up is to keep your paddle facing out in front of your body and make contact while the ball is in front of you. This will ensure that you make solid contact without getting jammed up.
The next key is to minimize your body movement and pickleball paddle movement. You should be using efficient, compact swings or punches and let the paddle do as much of the work as possible. If you notice that you are using a lot of backswing, you should focus on shortening that swing down. Not only is it going to slow you down, but it will give your opponent plenty of time to react to whatever shot you take.
Lastly, a way to counter and manage the speed up is to take a step back from the kitchen line. If you’re uncomfortable with the speed of what’s happening, simply take a step back and give yourself more time to recover and make a solid shot. This works especially well if you’ve determined that your opponent is impatient because this might cause them to be out of position or rush their next shot. After you take a step back, simply step back up to the NVZ line and back into the ready position.
Step #3 - Pickleball Tips for Ending the Speed Up
Sometimes, we find ourselves in an impossible position and simply want the speed up to end. In that case, there are a few things you can do.
1. Counter with a Forehand Volley or a Backhand Punch
Using your forehand or punching the ball with your paddle, you’ll want to aim at the your opponent’s feet or torso. Ideally, you will catch them off guard and grab the point. By hitting it into them or hitting the ball low and forcing a groundstroke, they will have a hard time reacting to the speed and keeping the volley going.
2. Let the Ball Fly Out
With all the momentum happening during these volleys, there’s a decent chance that your opponent will put too much force on the ball or hit too high (it may even go as high as a lob). When that happens, one way you can end the speed-up is to let the ball go past you and sail out of bounds. Of course, this is difficult in the heat of the match, but being aware of these opportunities can score some easy points.
3. Block or Reset the Ball
Just because someone drives the ball at you doesn’t mean you have to drive it back. You can use a block (holding your paddle so that the ball hits it and then just barely crosses the net) to slow things down and reset the volley. A soft cross-court dink or third-shot drop works especially well against bangers.
Common Mistakes Pickleball Players Make Against Bangers
Hitting shots that are too high. If you hit high shots, your opponent will have an easier time driving the ball back at you. Keep the ball low.
Hitting the ball into the mid-court too often. This is dangerous territory and exactly where bangers want the ball to be. Hit the ball cross-court instead to prevent bangers from driving the ball.
Not watching or accounting for topspin. The less topspin a ball has, the more likely it is to go out when hit with force. If you see a ball with little topspin, let the ball fly out of bounds.
Final Thoughts
Taking these steps is a great way to increase your wins against bangers and those who like to play a fast game of pickleball. Of course, it takes time to be a better pickleball player, and these methods take practice. In addition to running pickleball drills, the next time you’re up against one of these opponents, try incorporating at least one of these methods and see if the strategies work for you.
Want more tips? Check out this video from High Five Pickleball to demonstrate these concepts:
