Keep The Ball Low To Beat Faster Younger Pickleball Opponents

• The Dink says beating younger, faster players comes down to controlling the pace and height of the ball, not matching their speed.
• Balls that land below net height force opponents to lift, which hands the attack back to you.
• Deep serves and returns keep fast players behind the baseline and give you time to reach the kitchen line.

How To Beat Faster Pickleball Players By Controlling Pace And Height

The Dink Media Team published a guide on October 17 on beating younger, faster opponents. Its answer is not to match their speed. Control the pace and the height of the ball instead.

The guide lays out a plan in several parts. It starts with the ball you hit and ends with what you practice.

Keep The Ball Low

A ball that lands below net height forces your opponent to lift it, and a lifted ball hands the attack back to you. Dinking into the seven-foot non-volley zone is central to the plan.

The guide also points at a common culprit. The author argues that your own pop-ups, not the speed of your opponents, are the real problem.

Serve And Return Deep

Deep serves and deep returns keep fast players behind the baseline. That buys you time to reach the kitchen line, where the low-ball game starts.

Choose The Right Third Shot

The guide gives a short rule for the third shot. Drop low balls, drive high balls, and follow your shot in.

Use Geometry Against Speed

The guide suggests three targets: the outside foot, the middle between the two partners, and the body. Each one makes opponents move laterally or hit defensively.

Lob Sparingly

Lobs have a place, but the guide treats them as a surprise. Make the lob high and deep, and use it rarely.

Stay Patient

Patience is the last piece of the on-court plan. Reset hard balls with soft blocks. Know when to attack and when to reset. Let impatient opponents make errors.

Practice Fundamentals, Not Speed

Between matches, the guide steers players away from speed work. It recommends crosscourt dinks, hand speed at the net, and stable footwork.

It also mentions equipment in one line. A control-oriented paddle can help a little, but shot selection and positioning count for more.

What To Take To The Next Match

The plan is short enough to carry onto the court. Keep the ball low, serve and return deep, drop low balls on the third shot, aim at the outside foot, the middle and the body, and stay patient.

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