Deny the passing shot every time.
Communication is important for effective pickleball doubles strategy. And if you’re afraid the other team might overhear your strategy, then think of your own on court lingo. Like, instead of saying, “left” and “right,” then say, “salt” and “sugar.”
In the animation above, I show a very simple strategy. It’s second nature for advanced players. Under 4.5, I’ve found the court to be incredibly quiet. No communication. The key things to remember are: communicate your intended shot, both you and your partner follow the ball, ensure the line is covered, and close the hole. You do this with the serve returner calling the shot, and both players proceed to follow the ball. Covering the line means you can extend your arm and your paddle should be right at the line. Closing the hole means your partner is situated where they can extend their arm and touch the tip of your paddle while you extend yours. If the opposing team decides to do a cross court shot, you have extra time to cover the court since that’s a longer distance for the ball to travel.
That’s really it. Simple. Basic. In part 2, I’ll share more depth to this strategy concerning lobs. Lobsters have appeared everywhere! So you’ll need to account for how to defend against them after you’re both at the line and who’s responsible for returning those lobs.
If you’re in the St. Charles or St. Louis, Missouri areas, don’t forget to book a lesson.