Turning the Tide in a Point: How to use Defensive Strategies to stay in the Game

Defence is just as important as offence. Knowing how to handle an aggressive opponent can change the direction of a match. When you’re under pressure, giving yourself more time can help you reset and get back into position. Remember, hitting the ball slower with more shape can provide more time in comparison to hitting the ball faster and straight, which can take away time. A soft reset shot is one of the best ways to regain control and break their momentum. By taking the pace off the ball and dropping it into the non-volley zone, you force your opponent to move from attacking to dinking, giving yourself time to recover.

Why Good Defence Matters

You’ve seen it happen: a strong opponent attacking over and over while the other team scrambles, making mistakes. Good defensive skills can disrupt that pattern. A calm, controlled reset can take the sting out of an opponent’s power, forcing them to play your style instead. The best defenders know how to stay balanced, read the attack, and buy time until they can get back on even ground.

Defence isn’t just about surviving — it’s about giving yourself a chance to turn things around.

The Reset Shot: Your Defensive Safety Net

One of the simplest but most powerful defensive tools is the reset. By playing a soft, low shot into the kitchen, you take away your opponent’s angles and force them to hit up on the next ball. This levels the playing field and stops them from keeping the pressure on.

It doesn’t have to be perfect, but it should be soft and controlled. That way you avoid feeding them another attackable ball.

Tips for Better Resets:

• Keep your paddle soft, with a gentle grip

• Aim for the middle of the kitchen to reduce angles

• Stay balanced and avoid backing up while resetting

• Focus on absorbing pace rather than counterattacking

Using the Defensive Lob

The lob can also be a valuable defensive play, especially against teams crowding the net. A high, deep lob can push opponents back, giving you time to reposition and reset your court coverage. But keep in mind that a short or low lob can be punished with an easy overhead.

Tips for Better Defensive Lobs:

• Get under the ball and lift with a smooth motion

• Aim high and deep, well over your opponents’ heads

• Use the lob sparingly so it’s not predictable

• Recover quickly to your ready position after you lob

Defending Body Shots

When opponents target your body, stay compact. Swinging too much can turn defence into an error. Instead, use a short, controlled motion and angle your paddle to block the ball back into play. This keeps you safe and can help you remain in the point.

Tips for Defending Body Attacks:

• Keep your paddle close to your torso

• Stay light on your feet so you can adjust quickly

• Angle the paddle to soften and redirect shots

• Avoid reaching too far — move instead

Turn DefenCe into Offence

A solid defensive mindset helps you weather the storm. Think about how you can give yourself more time to reset, get into position and be ready for the next shot before your opponents have a chance to attack the ball. The next time your opponents go on the attack, focus on resets, smart lobs, and calm blocks to stay in the point. Once you’ve neutralized their power, you can look for opportunities to turn the tables and go on the offensive yourself.

Good defence is more than survival — it’s a way to take back control of the game.

Is It Wrong to Hit a 2-Handed Backhand (Part 1)?

Recently I published a YouTube video that I made while at a tournament in Arizona. I focussed on the technique that someone was using when hitting her backhand. It was unusual since she hit her backhand with two hands rather than the more customary single hand. In the video I noted how she prepared her body, where she made contact with the ball and what she did after she hit it. You can see the whole video for yourself, here.

While I often get comments (sometimes negative) on the videos I publish, the first one posted for this video didn’t mince words: “Sad to see the ex tennis players making videos about pickleball, you will not see one Men's 5.0 player using this shot, it is not a good choice for Pickleball”.  

Ok. I appreciate brevity so I was happy that gotmilk at least got straight to the point. He (she?) is correct in noting that this is not a common shot with the 5.0 men, but does that mean it is “a bad choice”? Another commenter named toadsprocket wrote: “Tennis has many things usable in Pickleball, the 2 handed backhand is certainly not one of them”. Not useable? But this player was using it! That was the point of the video! And not only was she using it, she did so to pretty good effect (did I mention that the player is Christine McGrath and that she is a multiple-time national champion?).  

A third viewer, named  dinkster, jumped in and wrote “these are ex tennis players that have not put the time into their new found [sic] sport, they will lose the 2 hand just give them some time. I would not teach this at my clinics”. So there!

Everyone seemed to be in agreement that the two-handed backhand has no place in pickleball. But why not? What is “wrong” with hitting with two hands?

While it is undeniable that most players hit one-handed backhands and that it is not necessary (for most people) to use both arms to swing a lightweight paddle, that is not an argument that the two-handed backhand should be avoided. Arguments use reasons to support a claim.

Most people don’t spend their time writing pickleball articles but I do. Am I doing something wrong? Or just something different? Only gotmilk provided something approaching a reason for his/her position: “very slow especially at the net” but there was no further explanation added. It wasn’t clear what gotmilk thought was slow: the preparation? The speed McGrath generates when she hits the ball? Something else?   

This leads to the bigger question: what counts as good technique? A question that we will try to answer next time. UPDATE: PART 2 IS AVAILABLE HERE.

Is It Wrong to Hit a 2-Handed Backhand? (Part 2)

Note: This is a follow up to Part 1 which is available here.

While there are many rules in pickleball, there is only one involving technique (e.g. the serve must be made in an upward motion with contact below the waist and the paddle not above the wrist). There are no rules about how you have to hit your volley or your smash, your dink or your return. And there are certainly no rules about how many hands you can use to hit your backhand.

Since pickleball is not a judged sport like gymnastics or diving, players don’t win because they look a particular way. They win based on their performance. It makes sense, then, that assessing someone’s technique must involve the question: can they do what they want with the ball? In terms of McGrath’s backhand, I’d say she’s doing a pretty good job (only she will know for sure how much the outcomes match her intentions). She can hit with power and finesse, she can hit different directions and heights and she can vary the spin and speed she uses. All with two hands!

A second consideration when evaluating technique has to do with potential for growth; can it get even better than it already is? Assuming she wants to improve as a player, could the technique she’s using now be a foundation for future development or is it at its limit? Two handed players sometimes struggle to take speed off the ball -- there is sometimes a problem with sufficient sensitivity when the second hand gets involved. I’m not saying this is the case with McGrath but it would be worth investigating. How well can she hit a drop volley with it? What about a slice backhand? The women’s game is evolving in such a way that well-rounded players will have to have all these shots at their disposal. If her technique somehow prevents her from doing these things (or others), then it is worth considering alternatives.

Finally, good technique is safe. If you satisfy the first two criteria (effectiveness and potential for growth) but do so in a way that puts you at greater risk of an injury, it is not good technique. Good technique is well coordinated and efficient which should not put extra stress on the body. I see nothing about her backhand technique that suggests she’s in the danger zone.

To summarize, dogmatic positions about the need to play particular way are antithetical to the nature of the game. Pickleball is a fast-paced sport that involves frequent adjustment and improvisation. Because of its performance-based nature, players can and should use the technique they believe will help them perform. And as the technology evolves and more players enter the sport, innovation is inevitable. While some might wish for the days when pickleball was slower, less intense and more predictable, I’m excited to see what changes are in store.

What do you think? Send an email to mark@thirdshotsports.com.