FAQs Part II: 3 More Questions Pickleball Players Frequently Ask Me

Here are three more questions that amateur pickleball players ask me about doubles strategy and tournament jitters.

#1 - Where do you aim when you are trying to set your partner up for a crash?

The general rule of thumb is to drive it at the body of the person in front of you, or down the middle. Hitting in front of you allows your partner to be more aggressive in pinching towards the middle.

If you go crosscourt, your partner’s line is exposed if you don’t execute the drive well - they will have to lean to cover the line rather than look for the middle ball (and finding that middle ball is your goal as the crasher). If your opponents don’t do a great job covering the middle, I would target that as a spot on the drives early on.

Obviously there’s room for judgement here too - find the weaknesses in each of your opponents. Your main focus is keeping the drive low enough so they have to volley it upwards as your partner crashes.

#2 - How do you decide which spots to hit on your flicks?

At the pro level it’s mostly circumstantial, based on who I’m playing against (and even with), and the ball I’m speeding up on. I’m at the point in my game where I feel comfortable flicking from both sides, to different spots. I will not be revealing the flicks I’m most uncomfortable with on this public platform.

The bottom line is you have to play to your strengths first, and find your opponents weakness second - remember we’ve talked about the value of speeding it up out of the air, so it doesn’t have to be as perfect as you might think.

For example, if I’m playing against someone who struggles to leave out balls, I’ll hit a lot of speedups at their chest or chicken wing with pace. You also need to be aware of the angle the ball is coming from.

The more you are changing the angle of the ball, the harder it will be to time perfectly - it’s easier to hit your backhand flick off a cross court dink down the middle than it is to go up the line, because you’re not changing the angle as much. Trust your instincts on speedup targets, the first choice that pops into your head on a given ball is probably the right one - stay committed to it.

"The bottom line is, you have to play to your strengths first, and find your opponents' weaknesses second..." – James Ignatowich

#3 - How do you combat nerves when you're playing?

A lot of people don’t know this, but one of the reasons I move my feet so much is to handle nerves. Earlier in my career I noticed that my body naturally slowed down when I got a little tight, a feeling that I think happens to most people.

I like bouncing in between and during points because the game feels simpler to me when I’m focused on my footwork - all I have to think about is getting in position for each shot.

I also use basic tactics like deep breaths and mindfulness before matches, but my best advice is to stay light on your feet at all times.

Have a question that I didn't answer above?

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