Why You Keep Losing Close Pickleball Matches and Might Not Even Realize It Yet
- Tom Kiat
- Aug 5
- 3 min read
Most players below 4.0 don’t lose because they’re worse. They lose because they’re impatient.
Every month I coach in tournaments and train players who look the part, fast hands, good drives, athletic as hell, but they keep doing the same thing that costs them matches:
They go for the kill… way too early.
They see a ball slightly high, they load up, and they rip it like they’re trying to break the sound barrier.
They’ll get a couple points that way. It’ll feel good. This sometimes rewards the behaviour so they keep doing it.
But you know what feels better?
Winning 11-3 while barely breaking a sweat.
Wanna Know What High-Level Players Really Do?
They don’t try to “win” every rally.
They try to build every rally.
There’s a massive difference.
I don’t care how big your forehand is, if you’re attacking from your shoelaces, you’re basically handing over the point.
It’s not just about dinks and resets for the sake of it.
It’s about playing deliberately. Playing like you’ve actually thought 2–3 shots ahead.
The soft game is boring when you don’t understand it.
But once you do? You’ll never play the same again.
The Soft Game Isn’t Weak. It’s Surgical.
Dropping the ball into the kitchen isn’t passive. It’s a setup.
Every time you drop with purpose, you force your opponent into one of three ugly situations:
They attack a low ball and pop it up. (Your point.)
They try to reset and you out-patient them.
They panic and go full caveman. (Again, your point.)
This isn’t defense. It’s control. It’s like you’re laying traps, and they’re walking right into ’em.
Real Talk: Want to Level Up? Follow These 4 Rules This Week
Rule #1: Don’t attack from below the net.
Just don’t. Doesn’t matter how juicy it looks.
Rule #2: Stop trying to “win the rally" ALL the time!
Start trying to build it. Play chess, not whack-a-mole.
Rule #3: Reset like it’s your job.
I’ve drilled resets 200 times in a day. You think that’s overkill? Ask the 4.5s and 5.0s I’ve beaten.
Rule #4: Ask yourself mid-rally “Am I reacting or am I executing?”
There's a big difference. Small tip.... watch their paddle before they hit. Assume the ball is coming to you. This iwll help give you a little more time reaction wise. Your welcome. I'm sounding confident here only for you to remember that this ACTUALLY HELPS YOU BIG TIME!
You can keep swinging like a maniac and impress your buddies during rec play or=r you can learn to control the game, frustrate every power player you face, and actually start winning when it counts.
The choice is yours.
You’re not just playing harder anymore.
You’re playing smarter.
Tag the guy or gal you partner with who plays like the typical banger.
Let’s help him turn into a surgeon.
Special Offer: Next 50 Players Get Pickleball IQ Advantage E-Book for Just $1.99 - Before It Jumps to $14.99! And You also Receive the 4 Week Drills Program AND The Pickleball GamePlan BluePrint the strategy book for doubles play as an added Bundle BONUS!
If you're tired of losing to players who shouldn't beat you, this is your Secret Weapon. Pickleball IQ Advantage hands you the exact shots, tactics, strategies, and mental edge top players use to dominate every rally, without spending years figuring it out the hard way.
Comments