ByeByePoly
G.O.A.T.
OK … this is what this past 4.5 singles and doubles tennis player sees watching the 5.0 doubles play in video below. I see a completely different skill set.
Tennis doubles:
- serve can be offense
- tennis strokes matter on return of serve, and in one up one back cross court
- volleys are body/stance/turned assisted using pace of incoming ball to block/punch volley
Higher level pb:
- serve just gets point started … deep with any technique
- ros just gets returner to kitchen … return with any technique
- then server gets to kitchen
- from here point will be decided with all 4 at kitchen dinking, reflex volleying, put away when you can
Here is what I see as the pb skills that probably determines pb level:
- dinking with no damage done … don’t leave high enough for put away
- not a body/stance assisted volley in pb … instead it’s arming skills without body turn … stay nipples to the net
- while nipples to the net, arm/hand/eye “arming” skills to reflex/return opponent kitchen hit
- other very important skill is the ability to lean forward and take a ball in the air and arm a put away that was left to high (my guess is this will be the skill I enjoy the least coming from tennis)
Note: we use “arming” as a pejorative in tennis, and in the ttw tips and technique section. The reason is proper high level tennis strokes from the baseline involve body rotation, including setting feet in different stances (not two feet forward at the kitchen). I’m not using it as a pejorative here for Pickleball doubles at the kitchen … just attempting to observe the important skillsets required for higher level pb doubles. To my eyes/observation … there is simply no time or need for body assistance in the kitchen in air reflex battle. Said another way … if a tennis player doesn’t stop trying to get into tennis volley stance, and if he doesn’t get good at “arming” skills including that uncomfortable looking lean put away … he won’t win at higher levels. His superior tennis topspin fh, or 1hbh slice means nothing. Everything before all four at the kitchen is just foreplay.
I see some of tennis apply to singles. Mainly on passing shots, and what would be a first volley by a tennis s&v player from the service line (accepts everything becomes a swinging volley). Then once at the kitchen … pretty much reverts to pb doubles nipples to the net arming skills. Also in singles … good hands and deception in dink game can win some points because not two guys to cover kitchen on other side.
Anyway … my initial thoughts before I have played much. It will be interesting to see what I think after a couple of months of play.
What say you that have played both tennis and Pickleball. What did I get wrong, what did I get right?
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