Notes from Film Study from the Past Five Weeks

Here are some notes based on what I’ve observed over five weeks of film study of PPA and MLP matches.

Serves:

• Deep, with pace, often to a backhand, with spin.
• Trying to create an uncomfortable return of serve.

2^nd / Return of Serve:

• Non-receiver positions near center line.
• Deep where possible.
• Deep keeps opposition from crashing middle for shake-n-back opportunity.
• Down the line(s) to keep “shake-n-baker” away from engaging on a 3^rd shot. A shot down the line might force shake-n-baker to take the 3^rd shot with a backhand, eliminating the shake-n-bake opportunity.
• Down the line returns of serve create space for 4^th shot put-aways.
• In other words, keep the poacher / aggressive player busy with shots s/he doesn’t like.

3^rd Shot:

• Drive or Drop.
• Player not attempting the third shot crashes middle unless return of serve is too deep, at which point a drop is attempted and then the team tries to earn way up to the kitchen together, tethered.
• By crashing, you force a team hitting a 4^th shot into making less-optimal choices. They cannot really speed up because the shake-n-bake will beat the team hitting a 4^th shot. You force team hitting 4^th shot to take the bait and hit ball to the player hanging back.
• Drives are often hit wide (and to a backhand) to create an extra foot of space to open up the middle.
• Game has changed – 3^rd shots are now used to create pressure, with both players creating a pressure via court positioning and shot selection/direction.

4^th Shot / 6^th Shot / 8^th Shot:

• Hit behind the 3^rd shot crasher to take crasher out of favored position in middle of court. Move the player wide, keep him/her busy.
• If return of serve keeps 3^rd shot team back, 4^th shots continue to keep ‘em back. Deception is used to change angles and pace given that put-aways are hard. Do not let the other team get up to the kitchen. Deception / Mis-Direction is used against player who crashes up for a shake-n-bake opportunity.
• Women are not afraid to use two-handed backhands to create pressure/power.
• Players slide away from their forehand to hit a forehanded shot, generating more power, especially men. No need to be lazy and stand in place and hit a backhanded punch when you can generate power by sliding two steps left and hitting a forehand (right handed) shot (opposite for left-handed players).
• Step-backs happen on 4^th shots, letting ball bounce in kitchen and then seeking a speedup opportunity on a 4^th shot. I’m seeing more of this and less taking the 4th shot out of the air following a 3rd shot drop – this creates more pressure.
• Go after the feet of the 3rd shot crasher.
• Inside-out plays are heavily utilized to generate winners down the sideline.

5^th Shot / 7^th Shot / 9^th Shot:

• Increasingly seeing 3rds that are drives followed by 5ths that are drives, if 4^th shot is knocked down. Pressure!
• Goal is to get to the kitchen after a 5^th shot, with patience following a 3^rd shot. It might take a 7^th/9^th to get there.
• Shake-n-bake player is prepared to come all the way to the right to finish a point, while support player is ready to cover remainder of the court (right-handed situation).
• Women are not afraid to use two-handed backhands to create pressure/power.
• Resets/Blocks off of powerful 4^th/6^th/8^th shot to get up to the kitchen, attempting to drop ball into the kitchen. On balls you can handle, you’ll eventually hit a successful drop shot. Drop shots have become less important on 3^rd shots, and are very important on 5ths/7ths/9ths, becoming extensions of dinks as you get closer to the kitchen. Odds of a successful drop increase as you get closer to the kitchen. Pros seem to be playing odds to get drop shots that have a higher percentage of a chance of landing harmlessly in the kitchen.
• If you are the crasher, back the heck up if opposition comes after your feet.

The game evolved in the past 2-3 years on 1^st/2^nd/3^rd/4^th/5^th/6^th shots. There is much more aggression and pressure being applied, on both sides of the court. We have to evolve as the game changes.

After the 5^th/6^th shot, the game still devolves into a dinking rally. About 35% of points get to this stage, a significantly lower rate than in the past (among pro players).

Dinking Rallies:

• Much more offensive than 2-3 years ago.
• More pace.
• Both rolls (topspin) and cuts (backspin).
• Constantly moving players side to side, looking to create space.
• Pressure applied to get players to move a step back from the kitchen.
• Dinking wide to keep poacher (happens a lot to males in mixed play) occupied and away from the middle of the court. Like keeping Ben Johns wide with dinks so he cannot dominate middle of the court.
• Better player covers 2/3^rd or more of the court. Not a 50/50 proposition. Applies to most aspects of pickleball, not just dinking. Court is no longer shared.
• Many “Ernie” movements, just to give opposition pressure and something to think about.

Speedups:

• Speedup is generally not a put away. Used to create a “hitting down” advantage on other team who is forced to “hit up” on the ball.
• Present speedups to the middle with your paddle, then deception is used to go elsewhere. Goal is to get opposition to collapse to the middle, creating space on sides for the mis-direction.
• Reset / Reset / Reset!!! Get out of the gunfight if you are hitting up on the ball.
• Body shots are generated off of deception/mis-direction.
• Inside-outs are useful if you have time.

Those are my observations. What are you observing in 2022?