Anna Bright here. James said all I have to write here after he got absolutely wrecked for posting a photo of him stepping in front of me was: “James is my supreme overlord and I love him and nothing makes me happier than when he takes a dink I could have easily made myself. And I don’t hate him.” But I thought I would expand further for those who are interested.
4.5+ Is Where the Game Starts to Shift
Mixed doubles at the professional level is very, very different from mixed at the amateur level. Around 4.5+ is where the game starts to shift, in my opinion, but I wanted to write a bit about why pro mixed is played the way it is, and why the constant vilification of men who are “stealing” their partners’ balls or “pushing” their partner off the court, or even “playing singles” is generally wrong.
Pro level mixed doubles comes down to three main things: among men and women of the same relative level, men are more athletic, have more reach, and have more power. Also more wrist dexterity. These things are not subjective, they are facts. Are there exceptions? Yes, but generally this holds true in pickleball and all sports.
Why Men Typically Play the Left or "Dominant" Side
This is why men typically play the left, or “dominant” side of the court in mixed- they want to have their forehand in the middle. This allows a pro level mixed team to maximize their offense. Another factor in all of this is that women are simply easier to attack than men not only due to generally having less power but also because we are easier to jam (has anyone ever seen me hit a 1 handed counter at my body? Probably not - most women do not have this shot).
So, in short, I have 0 problem with James taking “my” balls in mixed. Does he overstep sometimes? Sure. But more often the issue is not taking enough. Just remember, everything I wrote here applies to the PRO level, if you aren’t a pro or close to it, stay in your lane boys.
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