Pickleball Tip of Week #38

Ok,

So we have gone over.....serve

                               .......serve return

Now lets go over THE MOST IMPORTANT SHOT IN PB. The third shot. The third shot is done by the serving team. The serving team is at a disadvantage because of the two bounce rule. The serving team will be hitting the third shot with both members of the serving team starting the third shot both at or near the base line, while the receiving team will be at a much more advantageous position.....at the NVZ line.

So the vast majority of the time, the third shot should be a soft drop shot into the kitchen. Why???? Because a soft drop shot into the kitchen, done correctly does a couple of things. One.... it gets the serving team up to the net. This is a slow shot that takes time, hence you can use this extra time to get both members of the serving team up to the net and now at an even position on the court with their opponents who have been waiting for them up at the net.

Second, it does not allow the receiving team to do much with the ball other than dink it back.

Now the next part is really important and is not done well , even by many better players. I am on the serving team, i see that the serve return will be going to my partner. Now is one of the best times during the game to call out "YOURS" OR  "MINE". You dont want the ball to go between you with neither of you taking it.

Ok, so i see my partner will be hitting the third shot from near the base line. I watch my partner as i take about two steps into the court. By my second step , my partner will have hit the third shot. IF it is a good third shot ( nice and low ) I will QUICKLY move up to the net. IF it is too high, i will immediatley stop and split step and get low and get ready for a smash near my feet. Because i am only  two steps into the court, i will have a good chance at getting it back.

If i had just blindly gone up to the net , and my partner had hit the third shot too high, i would have much less chance of returning a smash near my feet.

The serve return should be deep. If it is NOT then you may want to smash the third shot at your opponents. A third shot that is smashed from mid court DOES have a chance of overpowering to good players standing at the net. However i do NOT recommend blasting a ground stroke at two good players standing at the net from the BASE LINE.  The players at the net have a lot more time with a ball smashed all the way back at the base line and can easily handle it and many times put it back anywhere they want.
 

That is enough for today. Will continue on the third shot next time.

jeff shank