About Being Ready - Or What Will Come My Way?

I personally find myself getting caught by a dink that goes to an extreme edge of the court.  

It may be that my large feet are not the quickest or perhaps more accurately, not as quick as they need to be.  But while watching the pros play, it looks like they don't move until the ball is hit and they manage about three steps before they hit the return.

If that's doable by a rec player, then they must be aware of other things than you and I.  There is literature about experts who are spending their concentration on different things than beginners.  I might suggest it's the same in pickleball.

One of the things I've noticed is that they tend to face the ball and not the opponents' baseline.  Since the issue is more moving laterally at the net than up and back, this makes some sense.  So shift your feet as the ball moves around and face it, particularly if a cross court dinking battle breaks out.  You want your feet to be moving all the time, so this ain't [sic] a bad idea in any case.

I also suspect that they watch the paddle face to see where the ball is going to go.  If you watch Todd play, there is a lot of last sub-second paddle face manipulation (LSSPFM)  to create an angled shot.  I have watched paddle faces in the past, but it is difficult for me to concentrate enough to do it all the time.  Lazy, perhaps?  You may be right, but it might be one of the things that an expert does that others don't/can't.  Still the pros get fooled on occasion.

Watching a paddle gives you more time to move your feet in preparation to make your return.  And where will you return it?  If you pause to think about that, it's going to be a problem.  How many times has the reason for a miss been, "I changed my mind?"  If you are playing and not thinking, you'll do wonderful things with no internal deliberation or hesitations -- I think that is what you want to strive for.  As a master once said, "Become one with the ball..."

There is another point here, is that a professional is probably a lot more predictable than a rec player.  If you are going to grind out high level play all day long, you can't be hitting the balls on the lines all the time, you need to be somewhat conservative in your shot selection.  If you watch Andrea Koop, a top level female player, she has the most relaxed, simple serve.  Doesn't try to win points with it, just getting it in and starting the rally and she can do it for hours.  

If you play against Matt, Scott or Roger, et al., you will get very predictable shot selection.  They are interested in beating you with consistency rather than by being clever.  It is an easier way to play, being clever all the time is hard work.  

So, a quick summation: align your body with the ball location when at the kitchen line, When you are running up to the kitchen line, then a good habit is to run towards the ball and not just straight forward to the net -- you'll be able to cover the middle of the court better.  Try and watch the paddle of the opponents for clues as to the next shot.  Play with freedom and with verve.  Keep your feet moving.  :-)