Third Shot Drop

3 Critical Strategies to Start Your Games Off Right According to a PPA Pro

December 05 2024


Coming off a paddle rack cold and only having a 30-second warm-up for a challenge court can be a recipe for disaster. Fortunately, top 20 PPA Pro Eric Roddy shared with us some strategic advice on how to start your games off the right way to maximize your chances of winning.

Maintain Scoreboard Pressure

Maintaining a tight scoreboard early on keeps your opponents on their toes and stops them from getting too much confidence from an early sizable lead. The best way to do that is to start the game by playing the highest percentage of pickleball you possibly can.

Keep the ball in play as long as possible and use that time to assess your opponent’s strengths and weaknesses. If you make errors, you give your opponents the momentum and lose valuable information that you can use against your opponents.

In short: save your riskier, “A” game for later in the game.

Shoot Down the Middle Early On

Here’s a hot take for you: hitting angles in pickleball should be almost entirely avoided. I see way too many amateurs (and pros honestly) try to hit winners by hitting extreme angles.

Working the middle as your primary location early on in games:

  • Reduces unforced errors as it's almost always the higher percentage shot
  • Prevents your opponents from executing the erne successfully
  • Helps you execute your third-shot drops and transition to the non-volley zone
  • Extends long rallies, forcing your opponents to communicate and open up crosscourt dinks that move your opponents around and lead to offense for you and your partner

If You Get in a Hole, Slow Things Down

I can’t tell you the number of games to 11 that I have started down 0-4 or 0-5. It happens to everyone, even the best players in the world. Pickleball, not unlike basketball, is a game of momentum and runs.

When you are winning, keep the gas pedal down and play fast. Use your momentum to try to score as many points when you have the hot hand as possible.

When you are on the losing end of a quick start and a big deficit, slow the game down.You and your partner must do everything you can to stop this momentum. Use timeouts, take more time before you serve, tie your shoelaces.

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