Success in the trend sport pickleball is decided in your head and with the first shots. How you can avoid typical mistakes and stay mentally strong.
Pickleball is booming and attracting more and more people to the courts. But anyone starting out quickly notices: the game is fast-paced, and small mistakes are punished immediately. Success on the court depends on three major pillars: the right tactics for the return of serve, quick decision-making, and mental strength when things get hectic on the court.
A common mistake made by beginners concerns the return, i.e. the shot after the opponent's serve. According to the experts from The Dink Media Team, this shot is often played too short in an attempt to play it safe. However, this is a misconception: a short return invites the opponent to play a hard, offensive ball. The solution is not more power, but more height. If you hit the ball a good metre over the net, you ensure depth in the opponent's court. This pushes the opponent back and gives you valuable seconds to advance to the net. The return and the subsequent path forward must be understood as one fluid movement.
Another major obstacle is so-called "overthinking" – hesitating and over-analysing during a rally. If the ball is flying and you are still wavering between different shot options at the last moment, the paddle usually comes too late. Sports psychologists call the conscious control of already automated movements under pressure "reinvestment". It often leads to balls being carelessly hit into the net. Good players decide on an option at the very moment of the opponent's ball contact or when the ball bounces. Instead of concentrating on your own technique, studies on attention show that it helps to focus on the desired target – for example, on the ball landing softly in the opponent's court.
The mind also decides on victory or defeat. So-called "trash talk" – comments from the opponent designed to throw you off balance – aims to steal your attention. If you get annoyed by comments or try to find a verbal response, you lose focus on the game. Scientific studies show that verbal provocations measurably worsen performance through cognitive distraction. The best tactic is to completely block out such background noise and concentrate on your own game.
Your takeaway: Focus on high, deep balls during the return and make your shot decision early to avoid hesitating.
This article was generated automatically with AI from the sources listed above and has not been editorially reviewed.