Pickleball is commonly called a mini version of tennis. The court size makes the game more accessible and keeps you in close proximity to your opponent.
What high-level opponents do is make that little court feel big.
For players looking to elevate their game, it's essential to understand that raw power alone won't guarantee victory. Instead, you need to master court control, shot placement, and strategic thinking.
Kyle Koszuta is one of the top pros in the Arizona Pickleball League.
He broke down some key points from his last match and demonstrated how you can create space on the pickleball court.
- Kyle is engaged in a cross-court dink rally
- Nico, his opponent directly ahead, wants to get involved in the point
- Kyle breaks up the pattern with a middle dink that causes Nico to move his feet left and squeeze the middle
- Kyle’s partner Cooper sees an opportunity to take the next ball out of the air to remove their opponent’s time to recover
- Cooper pushes the ball back to Nico’s right and sends him scrambling
- An off-balance dink provides Kyle the perfect opportunity to erne and finish the point
On most points, Nico has no trouble covering half or even the whole court. The right combination of shot placement and timing caught Nico out of position.
This is a prime example of how to win a point methodically, instead of trying to overpower your opponent.
Read Next: 3 Steps for Becoming a Better Pickleball Doubles Partner
High-level pickleball is all about meticulous planning and execution. It's not about overpowering your opponent; it's about outsmarting them.
The combination of shot placement and timing, as demonstrated in this match, can catch even the most skilled opponents out of position. This is the essence of methodical point-winning in advanced pickleball.
