A Serving Side Technique, is it Good or Bad?

 TLDR: don't rush the net automatically when partner is about to hit the third shot.  

As people improve they realize the importance of getting to the kitchen line (KL).  What I want to talk about is how you want to get there if your side is serving.

Specifically, your partner is going to hit the third shot.  What should you be thinking about doing in this situation?

I see a number of people who will always rush the KL while partner hits the third ball.  This doesn't always work.  Let's look at some of the shots that partner will hit and what else we might want to do.

If partner is going to hit a good third shot drop, then you do want to rush to the KL and be ready to put away a weak return.  Keep your paddle up!

If partner is going to hit a bad drop, then you will be an easy target if you are at the KL.  It is better to be back then too close in this case.

If your partner drives the ball, you don't want to be at the KL, but you would like to have moved into the transition area.

There is one more case and that's where the service returner has not come to the KL.  In this case the third shot should be returned deep into the court to the returner and both players on the serving side will immediately move to the KL.  This is the best case as your side will own the net and the opponents are separated in depth.  The goal is to hit the fifth shot behind the player at the net.  If that is not possible then just keeping the opponents separated and look to exploit the net ownership.

Back to main topic.  So the rule is to move to the KL if partner is going to hit a good drop.  If partner drives we move a bit, otherwise we hang back.  So the best play is to move in a touch and watch partner's shot.  If it's a drop, keep moving in.  Otherwise, stay back a bit and see what the opponents will/can do.  If they look awkward or don't hit a good fourth shot, then seek to exploit that and keep moving in.

I'm assuming that your opponents are reasonable players.  If they are weak, then you can more aggressively move up.  If they are strong, then caution is a good idea.

The serving side should see a point as successful if they can manage to get to the net and start a dinking rally.  This requires that the third shot be done well.  A bad third probably will end the point.  This is not an unusual or bad occurrence, as even at the pro levels, there is  large percentage of the time that the servers never achieve parity in a point.  The advantage of controlling the KL is huge.

What does a point look like if the third shot is not a good drop?  The opponents are at the net and probably have hit a shot that lands somewhere into the middle of the court.  I think it's best to then hit a soft fifth shot and try to get your side to the net.

There are a lot of folks who feel that hitting the ball hard is what the game is all about.  So the fourth shot comes back and they will hit the fifth harder and typically the ball speed will keep increasing until someone thinks about ducking or the net gets in the way or an angled shot ends the point.  While that is exciting play, the points can be short and they lack the Zen of pickleball, which was designed to be all about the rally.    It is well known that the inventors of the game were deep into Zen as there was a Zen master on the island and they were all devoted students.  It is a disturbance in the force to fight the Zen undercurrents of PB or life itself.  One seeks to become one with the game and that is why the satisfaction of a good drop shot is so rewarding.

As the Master has said many times, "Why hit the ball hard, when softer works better?"  Be like the Master!  The balls and paddles will last longer too!