Singles Pickleball Strategy: Tips & Strategies You Need To Know


Like other sports, pickleball is played in singles or doubles. Double pickleball is very different from pickleball singles. Pickleball singles games are usually played alone in the middle of a pickleball field. This means that you have to fend for yourself in playing the game. Fighting alone is sometimes confusing, so you need a strategy that can win the game. Therefore, in this article, we provide strategies as well as tips for playing pickleball.

Singles Pickleball Strategy: Tips & Strategies You Need To Know

Singles Pickleball Strategy To Dominate Your Opponent

Playing pickleball singles indeed you have to struggle alone in doing so, so you may often be confused about what to do to win. In this match, we have several pickleball strategies and tips that you can use as a reference so that you can win. Here’s the explanation:

  1. Serve Deep

This important pickleball strategy can also be used in multiple pickleball games, but it can also be used in singles pickleball. You need to serve deep so you can win in this pickleball singles. To move your opposition over the baseline and provide for a bigger, extra challenging return for your opposition, you must smash a powerful, strong serve. A large, deep serve will give you an advantage against your opposition right away.

pickleball serve deep

When a powerful serve is generally preferred, be careful not to leave yourself too little room for mistakes and end up serving out of bounds. Keep in mind that the serve is just the one stroke on the pickleball court that you have full control over or can improve with training.

  1. Returning the Ball Deep

The pickleball strategy singles for your match to win is to return the ball deep. Doing this you are advised to hit it hard and deep into one of the pickleball court blades. Your adversary will have a hard drop shot as a result of that strong return and well-placed return. This return ball must be on the far side of the pickleball field. This is useful for keeping the ball deep in the field, in addition, it makes the shots you make more difficult for the opponent and gives you more time to prepare so that you can enter the pickleball net. Then, when returning the ball with a serve you must target the opponent’s weaker side.

  1. Do Serve Close to “T”

serve close to the center pickleball

Next, you can hit a serve towards the center of the pickleball court against your opponent, but still consider staying in the service box, which is called a serve close to the “T”. Once you have performed the serve, it will reduce the number of steps you can take. Also, it can save you a lot of time when you are going to prepare for your next stroke move. When you prepare for a retaliatory move from your opponent, you are likely to be near the center of the pickleball field. Here, you can also reduce the ability of your opponent when you want to hit a lot of corners with his returning serve. Even though it’s a great idea to serve close to “T” on the pickleball court, don’t forget to vary where you position your serves. You don’t want to follow the script of the letter.

  1. Pay Attention When You Make Bad Returns

Surely you have made a mistake in returning the serve, but of course, you don’t want to do it again. In dealing with this, there are 2 options that you can apply.

– You must stay in the baseline area and play defensively to get back to rallying.

– You keep stopping a few meters behind the NVZ line, this is to prepare for the third shot from your opponent. When you move in, you can play more aggressively and stay with your goal which reduces corners when you return bad balls.

Keep in mind that the above strategy depends on both your and your opponent’s strength, which may be seen from how bad the return of the served ball is.

  1. Pay attention to the angle and position

When you return the ball in service, you need to advance to the non-volley line. You don’t have to compete to position yourself smack-dab in the middle of the court on the non-volley line where you can return the ball. In contrast, technically, you position yourself to intercept the next ball shot. In addition, you can also position yourself to advance a little to the left or right from the middle of the field. However, you first determine which side of the court you will hit and how short or strong in hitting the ball.

What Are Tips for Pickleball Singles?

Those are the 5 strategies you can do to win the pickleball game. Now, we will offer some tips to support you even more in your match

  1. Prepare In Ready Position

athletic stance pickleball

When you want to play pickleball, you need to first prepare the appropriate body position. You can first position your feet in line with your shoulders and keep your knees slightly bent. Also, keep the weight of the ball on your feet, not on your heels. After that, relax your shoulders and upper body to calm down before playing. Keep the part of the hand and the paddle you are wearing in front of your body which is also pointed slightly upwards.

  1. Practice Your Skills In Driving The Ball Down The Line

The ball will reach your opposition’s side of the goal the quickest if it is struck directly ahead while dragged wide toward the baseline. If you don’t think so, do you still recall from geometry class where a straight line is the shortest way among any 2 points? When making passing shots and moving down the line, make use of this to your benefit. It will provide your opposition with the shortest window of opportunity to respond.

  1. Set Target

The next tip is to determine the target you want to get when you are about to hit the ball. It’s not only about who hits the ball, but also where you’re going to hit it. You also need to decide whether to hit the drive to the backhand or hit the third shot toward the middle. So, you will not immediately be able to start placing the ball in the target you want. Also, you need to hit with intent to help get the ball where you want it and strategize.

Final Thought

Those are some strategies and tips that you can use as a reference before you play pickleball singles. You don’t need to be afraid when you play this game, because following the strategies and tips above will increase your accuracy and win pickleball matches. In addition, it can improve fitness, and body condition, and help you think much smarter in playing pickleball.

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