How to Develop a Pickleball Game Strategy
Whether you're a seasoned player or just starting, having a game plan can make a big difference in your performance on the court. In this article, we'll discuss the steps you can take to create a game plan for your pickleball match that will help you win.
Know Your Opponents
The first step in creating a game plan is to know your opponents. Take some time to research their playing style, strengths, and weaknesses. Watch them play in previous matches or ask other players who have played against them for insights. By understanding their game, you can plan your strategy accordingly.
For example, if your opponent has a strong backhand, you may want to focus on hitting shots to their forehand to force them out of their comfort zone. On the other hand, if your opponent is not quick or is slow to get to the NVZ, you’ll use your third-shot drop a lot sooner or more frequently.
Determine Your Strengths and Weaknesses
Knowing your strengths and weaknesses is just as important as understanding your opponents. Take an honest assessment of your game and identify areas that you excel in and areas that need improvement. This will help you to focus your efforts on the aspects of the game that will give you the best chance of winning. This assessment changes to a degree when playing doubles (versus singles), as you must consider your partner’s strengths/weaknesses and balance them with your own.
For example, if you have a strong serve, you should focus on serving aggressively and trying to win points quickly. If you struggle with volleys, you should focus on improving your dink game and getting up near the NVZ as soon as possible (which you should do as a regular strategy anyway).
Develop a Strategy
Once you understand your opponents, and your strengths and weaknesses, it's time to develop a strategy for the match. Having some semblance of a game plan based on what you know about your opponent is always good versus just “playing your game”. Which is to say that it isn’t one-size-fits-all in how you play one team versus another. This should be a plan of attack that leverages your strengths and exploits your opponents' weaknesses. In one of our previous articles, we featured Jordan Briones from Briones Pickleball, Jordan is one of the leading voices in pickleball coaching and instruction. Check out his video below on some key doubles strategies.
Your strategy should also consider your opponents' strategy. If your opponents like to play aggressively at the net, you should focus on playing more defensively and hitting shots to the back of the court to keep them from coming up to the NVZ for a dink rally.
Practice
The key to success is practice. Practice your basic shots and those you’re the weakest at executing. Getting better at the shots you’re not good at is another significant part of your overall strategy. Your opponent may know your playing habits from other matches and games you have played against them. So, sharpening your skills on your weakest shots will throw your opponent off as they will be counting on playing to that weakness during a game.
In addition to practicing your overall game, you should also include working on your footwork and agility, as mobility can be a remedy that offsets weaknesses in your game.
Stay Focused and Adapt as Needed
Finally, staying focused and adapting your strategy as needed during the match is important. Things may not always go according to plan, and you may need to adjust based on your opponents' performance or changing conditions on the court.
By staying focused and adapting as needed, you can give yourself the best chance of success on the court.
