Creating and Exploiting Angles: Advanced Shot Placement Techniques in Pickleball Doubles

In pickleball doubles, the ability to create and exploit angles can be a game-changer. This strategy not only opens up the court but also forces your opponents into difficult positions, increasing your chances of winning points.

Here’s a deep dive into the art of angling and advanced shot placement techniques to elevate your doubles game.

Understanding Angles

Creating angles involves hitting the ball in such a way that it forces your opponents to move laterally across the court. The goal is to make it challenging for them to return the shot effectively, often setting up your team for a winning shot. Exploiting angles means taking advantage of the spaces and opportunities created by your opponents' positioning and shot selection. By recognizing and targeting these angles, you can keep your opponents off balance and control the pace of the game.

Key Techniques for Creating Angles

1. Cross-Court Dinks

Use cross-court dinks to force your opponents wide, opening up the middle of the court for potential winning shots. The key is to aim for a spot just over the net and near the sideline, making it difficult for them to reach.

2. Sharp Angled Volleys:

When at the net, aim to volley the ball sharply across the court. This can surprise your opponents and create a difficult return, especially if they are positioned near the center.

3. Third Shot Drop with Angle

Instead of dropping the third shot straight ahead, aim to drop it diagonally. This forces your opponents to move and can disrupt their positioning, setting up your team for a more aggressive follow-up shot.

Techniques for Exploiting Angles

1. Identify Weaknesses

Observe your opponents’ positioning and movement patterns. If one player struggles with lateral movement, target sharp angles to exploit this weakness.

2. Hit to Open Spaces

After creating an angle, aim your next shot to the open space left by the opponent who had to move. This can often result in an easy put-away or a forced error.

3. Use the Kitchen Line

When your opponents are deep, a short angled shot into the kitchen can catch them off guard. Conversely, when they are close to the net, a deep angled lob can be highly effective.

Practical Drills

1. Cross-Court Dink Drill: Practice dinking cross-court with a partner, focusing on keeping the ball low and just over the net. This helps in refining control and precision.

2. Sharp Volley Practice: Set up targets on the court and practice hitting sharp volleys to these targets. The aim is to develop muscle memory for angled shots.

3. Third Shot Drop Drill: Work on dropping the third shot diagonally with consistency. This drill helps in improving your ability to create angles from the baseline.

Mastering the art of creating and exploiting angles in pickleball doubles can significantly enhance your strategic play. By integrating these advanced shot placement techniques into your game, you can keep your opponents guessing, maintain control, and increase your chances of winning points. Practice these strategies regularly, and watch your doubles game reach new heights.