- Serve placement: One of the most important strategies in pickleball is to vary your serve placement. By hitting different types of serves to different parts of the court, you can keep your opponents guessing and make it harder for them to return your serve.
- Dinking: Dinking is a technique used to hit the ball softly over the net, typically in the non-volley zone (the "kitchen"). Dinking can be an effective way to control the pace of the game and force your opponents to hit more difficult shots.
- Third-shot drop: The third-shot drop is a strategy used to regain control of the point after serving. After serving, the server should aim to hit a drop shot that lands in the non-volley zone, forcing the opponents to hit up and allowing the server to move forward and take control of the net.
- Lobbing: Lobbing is a technique used to hit the ball high and deep, typically over the heads of your opponents. Lobs can be used to get out of defensive positions or to force your opponents to move back and away from the net.
- Poaching: Poaching is a tactic used by the non-serving partner to move across the court and intercept a shot hit to the serving partner. Poaching can be an effective way to put pressure on your opponents and force them to hit more difficult shots.
- Communication: Good communication is essential in pickleball, especially when playing doubles. By communicating with your partner, you can coordinate your movements, anticipate shots, and avoid collisions.
Remember, every game is different and requires different strategies and tactics. The key is to be adaptable and adjust your game plan based on the strengths and weaknesses of your opponents.