Pickleball Doubles Strategies for a Definite Win!

Doubles could be the toughest yet tricky technique in the pickleball game especially if you just getting started and all your focus is on the quality game that brings the “WIN”. In the game of pickleball, there are either singles or doubles but it is mostly referred to as team sports. However, many people play them just for fun and for the exercising person.

Still, there’s room for learning and getting adapted to new techniques. Though here to ensure you with these wholesome tricks and trips for both beginners and experts that you will love to know which furthermore guarantee a sure win while getting you to become the master of the game just by following these doubles tips.

Like-Minded Partner:

Your partner can be anyone, whether you chose your best friend, colleague, or your spouse but compatibility is the most important factor. Without a compatible or like-minded partner, your whole game flops no matter how pro you’re at your tricks.

Like-Minded Partner in pickleball

Along with compatibility, keep the communication going on between the gameplay. You can tell “yours” or “mine” or maybe some other keywords that you have both uniquely designed for more healthy team building. Also, choose the partner based on hand orientation also famous by the term “stacking”. 

For example, if you are a left-handed person, choose a partner that is right-handed and vice versa. This adds variation to your game and also your team can more responsive while you have more control and reach in the court. Speaking of control, getting the best pickleball paddles for control also helps you enhance your gaming style extensively. Nothing is more frustrating than having a partner who cannot understand your techniques and what is gonna be your next move.

How to Serve:

When it comes to serving, think of your skill level first. If you are a beginner, don’t try with the typical shots that you have seen online or someone playing. Because this will individually create pressure on you.

serving rule in pickleball

Let the game be loose at the start and if you want, add the variations in the middle. In addition, make sure you have a versatile paddle. if not, then check this out and have the best pickleball paddle in the first place.

For the experts, use a fancy trick. You can start with a shot you’re most pro while keeping in mind that the movement makes one of the opponents leave their position, that’s how you gonna build the victorious base. More importantly, always let the more expert player between you two break the ice and make the first serve.

How To Return a Serve:

For a return, always avoid smaller hits because this is going to eat you in the next return. Plus, just like serve, hit it back in such a way that will get the opponents to move while keeping them guessing which one of them gonna receive it. For a better and powerful return, serve the ball within the foot of the baseline applying some force to it or you can simply hit in the center, and this is the simplest way to confuse the opponent’s duo.

Perfect Placement and Alignment:

Placement is a more important factor than anything else in pickleball. It is the mixed doubles strategy basis on which 80% of your win depends. 

Perfect Placement and Alignment in pickleball

Always position your body that exactly faces the opponent so that you will be in a better position to return the serve. Plus, always move in unison and never create random and unnecessary gaps in between. Also, shots at the no man’s land should be played very carefully. For going the easy way, let the player who has his or her “forehand” in the center play the shot and the other one would stay in his position. Though, it is also important that you stay behind the baseline when serving.

Keep your body in movement and by saying that we meant always keep your feet in the movement so that your mind and body will be aware of any sudden action you need to take and retrieve the ball from any part of your side of the court. It is also important that you keep the opponents at the downside of the court. This doubles strategy technique will lead more towards the winning since with every move you get the opponent far away from the nets and moving nearer the nets. Though, you can try deep shots for this purpose.

Boundaries:

Make sure you know the boundaries of the court as well as your of your gaming techniques. The awareness of the court will allow you to form the speed and shot length so that you don’t miss the chance, make forced errors, or end up in the headed-out shot.

Understanding the Opponents:

Understanding is yet the underrated doubles pickleball strategy. For you and your partner, it is important to understand the opponents. As For the professional courts, get to know their playing techniques already, observe their behavior, focus on their weak points and analyze their next shot. A better understanding of the opponent will allow you to have more domination on the game since you then hit on their weak nerve and has more power on the court.

Synchronization:

Successful pickleball doubles rely on the synchronization of the two of you. You must never neglect your partner since many people play the doubles just like they singles and the results will either they make their partner completely left out or get stumbled upon each other. Though, you must keep the contact, have a little chat in between and never leave the gaps.

Advanced Pickleball Doubles Strategy

Non-volley Line:

This is the doubles pickleball strategy 101 and the most fortunate one. After the first serve, get yourself to the non-volley zone. Here rallies and points are easy to win and also it will give much domination for being in the power place while keeping the opponents at the baseline. 

Non-volley Line in pickleball

You can also add a drop shot when you are in the non-volley line but the opponents are. In this way, you can get them far and get yourself “in” in the non-volley line.

Poaching:

Poaching means playing the shot on behalf of your partner or the one who is more skilled among you two, decides to return the shot. It is, however, one of the trickiest strategies in pickleball and should always be tried when you are sure of the accuracy.

Poaching mostly comes useful when you have a weak partner. Unfortunately, your opponents have sensed which compels them to throw the balls towards the weaker ones, and there you can save the game by poaching it and playing the shot. Nevertheless, always communicate before poaching so that you don’t end up creating a mess.

The Dinking Phase:

The dinking phase is where one team has to commit the foul with the back and forth movement of the ball. It usually happens when both the teams have to get at the nets. If your game is stuck at this point, introduce the dinks, keep the game at a slower pace till your opponent gets himself settled, and then hit the fast one with full force and get the game done with a win to your team.

Use the Spin:

Variation is very important in pickleball doubles strategy. Though classic pickleball involves some dinks and ground hits. If you want an upper hand, go for the spin and try to make it in your “third shot” since it is where the true game begins. For this purpose, you can get a paddle for spin for accuracy.

paddle for spin for accuracy

Control over power:

Always consider control over the power. Because without the control you cannot achieve accuracy and thus your shots won’t go in the direction you want them to. However, you also achieve control by simply getting a control paddle.

Conclusion:

To be precise, you can learn and apply these strategies to your game and make the most out of it. You just need good communication skills, synchronization. More importantly, the right application of the right strategy. 

However, these pickleball doubles strategies would be enough for you to ace the game. Yet, you can modify some of the strategies as per your own gaming styles but don’t forget to keep the rules in mind. Though, always keep the room for learning new things, be safe and sound and stay slaying in the courts.

HARRY ANDERSON
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