Strategies for Pickleball Bangers
Want to know some strategies to use when you come up against Pickleball Bangers?
Every racquet game, even pickleball, you have a lot of bangers who like to play the game roughly. This is a lot more common than you think and is a very prevalent strategy in professional matches where the servers want to score quick points to win the tournaments.
However, although it is true that tackling a banger in pickleball requires expertise, it is also true that with the right strategies in place, you can make it happen. And, that includes beating a banger in a game of pickleball.
Best Pickleball Bangers Strategies
This article will highlight some of those effective and underrated strategies that you can master along the way.
Be on your toes, be ready
When you are playing against a banger, the last thing you want is slow reactions. They are playing hard to give you little time to react and this is what you need to work on.
Instead of mimicking their stance or thinking about their next move, be ready to react as quickly as they hit. This proactive nature and quicker reflex enable you to hit back to them without any hesitations. Stick around the non-volley zone because bangers tend to hit around those spots the most.
Avoid the banger
Just because you are playing against a possible banger doesn’t mean you have to respond to their hits with equal aggression.
Instead, what you can do is assess a few of their hits because there will be a pattern or strategy that they are abiding by. Once you have an idea of what to expect, it becomes easier. Give in to those hits and play a completely misleading game that doesn’t leave the banger or the dinker with the time to hit back with equal enthusiasm.
If you are playing doubles, focus on the player that is not a banger (or less of a banger) to reduce the burden of the game on you.
Hit a deep return of serve
When you are playing against a banger, they tend to hit around the no-volley zone and close to the net, making you run to and fro.
This will not just affect your energy but also make it difficult for you to strategize your moves on the court.
The best way to tame the hits of the banger is by hitting the ball deeper, towards the back of the court. If you hit the ball softly, they will hit in close to the net. Try and keep the banger towards the back of the court instead of the front.
Be aware of the out ball
Sometimes, if you can’t hit back, you need to look for a out of bounds.
This is an excellent way for you to win the service back to you. In pickleball, especially with a banger who hits the balls very hard and roughly, it is easier for them to hit the ball out of the bounds. Know your place on the court and if you think the ball will go out – leave it shot.
Practice blocking
Yes, you need to stand tall like a wall. Instead of encouraging the banger and hitting back with equal fervor, you need to take a step back and don’t respond to the drive.
Good blocks are an amazing way to stop a banger and get the game onto your side. For a good block, you need to aim for a casual approach and have a loose grip on the paddle. Try to place a shot that doesn’t need a backshot return. This reduces the risk of a driving shot and reduces their power in the game.
Keep the banger in the back
Although we have discussed this briefly in the beginning, this deserves a separate paragraph. You want to ensure that the banger is standing near the baseline. If you let the banger come forward around the no-volley zone, you are setting yourself up for a fail. In the front, the banger has more power and flexibility with their movement, allowing them to move back and forth and channel in the best they can when it comes to hitting the pickleball to their opponents with full force. If they are blocking the net area – try a lob shot over them to move them back.
Engage in a soft game
Pickleball is a very interactive game. Sometimes, the players engage in a soft game while other times, it is the complete opposite.
So, if you are good at dinking or you are good with other pickleball strategies, implement them to confuse your opponent. This itself can help out a lot in keeping the banger in check.
Practice!
There’s nothing that beats a good round of practice. Bangers are often professional and advanced players who have been playing pickleball for a longer period. So, if you want to bring them down or ensure they don’t win the game, you need to get on their level, understand the basic strategies and implement them accordingly. And, there’s no better way to achieve that other than practicing.
Conclusion
If you are faced with a Pickleball banger and you don’t know how to tackle them, we hope this article gives you all the detailed insight that you need.
Make sure that you understand all the common rules and strategies of the game before you implement any of the methods we have mentioned above.
