TLDR: Hit your returns deep and lofty.
A lot of new players enter pickleball with the mindset of playing the power game. I wonder if they see dinking and think they’ll win by going in hard with drives. Well, that could work. And it certainly will when you’re playing in the 2.0-3.0 skill range. Once you start playing 3.5 and 4.0 doubles, your drives are going to get blocked and reset. Or, you’ll notice the other team simply sidesteps while watching your ball sail out of bounds. It doesn’t take much power for that ball to float right past the line.
Now you’re trying out the soft game. You’ll find it’s how most games are won against advanced players. To do this, you need to be at the kitchen. How do you get there in the least amount of time and steps? Your returns need to be deep and lofty. The more time the ball is in the air, the more time you have to get to the kitchen.
If you’re in the St. Charles or St. Louis, Missouri areas, don’t forget to book a lesson.