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Pickleball backhand

Pickleball / Popular

Build a reliable backhand for drives, dinks and blocks.

What coaches agree on

  • Find a neutral, handshake-style grip on the paddle - that is your starting point for every backhand.
  • Turn your shoulders and take the paddle back early, before the ball arrives, so you are set up sideways to the net.
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  • Make contact with the ball out in front of your body, not close to your side or behind you.
  • Finish with the paddle up around shoulder height, facing your target.

Common mistakes

  • Trying to power or spin the ball by flicking the wrist, instead of keeping the wrist stable and driving the shot from the shoulder, forearm and body rotation.
  • Contacting the top or side of the ball instead of getting low enough to brush its bottom half, which is why topspin shots dip into the net.