General Strategy for Singles Play

One of the great things about pickleball is that similar to the sports it was evolved from (badminton, tennis and table tennis), the game can be played in either a singles or doubles format. There are some differences between them, primarily the extra effort and workout required when playing singles.

Here are some general techniques when playing singles in pickleball.

• Generally, shots should be made deep in the opponent’s court and either to the corners or down the lines. This will keep your opponent moving and behind the baseline. That will make it tougher for them to hit a quality shot and allow you to move up to the kitchen line and create a good angle for your volley. NOTE: The “kitchen line” is an area 7’ on each side of the net where players are not allowed to hit a volley from. It was created so that players are not able to smash a volley shot.

• One key strategy for the player returning serve is to make sure they hit the return deep and firm and towards the corners. This will not only allow them to come up to the kitchen line for a winning volley, but also create a much better angle for the shot.

• However, if the serve is deep and causes the returner to hit their return shot from behind the baseline, they may not want to move forward for a volley but instead stay back. An exception to this is if the returner is moving forward while hitting the ball, and hits a good deep return, they should continue up to the kitchen line. But even in this case, if they hit a poor return, it is best to stay back.

• Another key difference between playing singles and doubles is that in singles, speed and power are much more important. Because you need to cover the whole court, a player needs speed and quickness to get to the ball. In addition, hitting the ball with more power will keep your opponent on the move and will most likely result in them hitting more poor shots.

• In singles, it is important to make sure to practice your volleying techniques. Like the game of tennis, when played on a quick surface, the game takes on a more aggressive serve and volley strategy. Rallies are normally short, usually less than 4 or 5 shots, and the player that can get to the kitchen line and make a good volley shot will most times win the point.

So if you plan to get out and play some singles games in pickleball, don’t forget to use these techniques and strategies. It can help you play better and have some fun while doing so.