Add this ADVANCED Pickleball Strategy to your game today - Respect the X to protect the middle

An advanced pickleball strategy that applies all the time? The Respect the X strategy fits the bill.
Want to learn more about Respect the X and get our in-depth strategy guide FOR FREE? Get your copy here: betterpickleball.com/respect-...
This is not one of those flawed maxims like "forehand in the middle." Respect the X is always present and applicable to all situations on the pickleball court. In this pickleball video we show you how to apply Respect the X to ensure you do not get beat down the middle.
No more wondering whether that shot is yours or your partner's. Now you will know.
You can learn more about Respect the X at this Playlist: • Respect the "X" - the ...
Your game will be soooooo much stronger.
0:00 Introduction to the middle pickleball court attack
1:25 The Respect the X Pickleball Strategy - Explained
4:10 The Middle Attack Set Up
5:00 Covering angles on a pickleball court
6:00 Prioritizing court coverage on a pickleball doubles team
6:47 Providing double coverage on the middle attack
7:11 Collapsed X for Respect the X
7:54 Which player is responsible for which shot
10:08 How pro pickleball players use this technique
10:35 A breaking the X exception from the pop up
11:20 Avoid reaching away with your paddle by respecting the X
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Stay well out there.
Tony
Better Pickleball Player Development
[e-mail]
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[@jorgeferreiro9783]

Great video. I practice this concept but 90% of people I play with tell me I am wrong and "forehand takes the middle". I am talking about advanced (4.0+) players. It can be frustrating

[@BestPickleballCoach]

There is so much "forehand in the middle" that it drives me crazy. Watch out for a video coming your way. You can just give them the link :)

[@mroper48]

Thanks for this informative update to your Respect the X concept. I want to be encouraged or discouraged about one thing: Since I’m left handed and play on the right, I tend to want to have my body slightly angled to the cross court player when I am the workhorse. That means my foot can be slightly behind my partner who is facing the person down the line in front of them. My lefty forehand will be ready to counter attack that player. Am I good here? Most of my partners want me to face straight ahead with both feet at the line. I want to be able to say: Well, Tony Roig says I can angle my body with my left foot back 1-2 feet. Do I need to get over it or stand firm?

[@BestPickleballCoach]

@@mroper48 Hi Martha. It is always advisable to face the action. So angling your body and having one foot back makes sense. Better than just squaring up to the net. I think you are doing it correctly :). Hope this helps.

[@tinamarles1035]

oh yes...or people who say, the ball is on my court, so it's mine.... what the!!!??? frustrating as hell!

[@robertsamagalsky1617]

This video is great plus it’s logical. People who don’t understand this are not thinkers or strategists, they just react because that’s all they know how to do. Forehands down the middle isn’t the final solution for everything!

[@romanhernz3839]

great explanation thank you so much!!!!

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Thanks Roman - glad you enjoyed it

[@kaf414]

Great video! Thanks! 😊

[@BestPickleballCoach]

You are so welcome!

[@natehendricksen3338]

Great stuff.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Ty Nate

[@henry0712]

Great explanation. As a beginner, I did't realize that the X shifted with ball position. Now it makes sense, as does the exception. Thank you.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Glad it helped. Keep at it.

[@user-od3dj2dr3v]

Excellent, now to execute this well!

[@BestPickleballCoach]

A process for sure. :)

[@tinamarles1035]

Awesome awesome video!!! thank you so much!!! Now, Tony, I was wondering if you have a video explaining the best targets for shots, esp. in a dinking situation, to protect your partner! Where should you best place your shot to avoid putting your partner into trouble (other than avoiding dead dinks or pop-ups)??? Thank you so much again!!!

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Hello Tina. That question covers a lot of ground :). A KZbin video would not do the topic justice because there is just too much to cover. But ... we can probably bite off a piece or two on here. Stay tuned.

[@tinamarles1035]

@@BestPickleballCoach Awesome!!! Cant wait!!!

[@kabnis2022]

Great video. My friend and I were watching and debating/discussing: if someone is guarding the sideline and the opposing team sends the ball just a few inches away from their shoulder in the middle, since it's so close to their body, is it still their teammate guarding middle (cross-court) 's responsibility to get that middle ball or should the player guarding sideline flip over and get it due to the closeness to their shoulder facing middle?

[@BestPickleballCoach]

As a general rule the player guarding line will not be able to switch over to the shot if hard hit. If it is slow enough that the line player can hit it cool. Earliest hit it always best if possible and does not otherwise increase risk of error. Appreciate the question

[@anthonyalpocetti5152]

I find the problem with this in practice is that in a long crosscourt dink rally, the middle widens. The crosscourt receiver recovers less to the middle, either progressively, or suddenly, in the case of aggressive, flat dinks.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

NVZ movement and recovery is one of the most challenging parts of our game. You will still need to deal with which player - you or your partner - take the middle shot.

[@mtcdnp]

I was thought to respect the line (same idea) where all players follow where the ball goes to be ready to protect the line (when ball is on either side). And the middle belongs to second player (who does not protect the line).

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Following the ball is the key. Thanks for the comment.

[@Grain_Damaged]

Hi, Tony. I greatly appreciate your videos. Can you please give me a response to this question? In your example, the player in front of me hits their third shot between my partner and me, who is back (because they returned the ball shallow and didn't reach the kitchen line). To "Respect the X," my partner would get the ball. I would get the ball if the player hits it directly at me or down the sidelines. I understand this. However, what happens if a line drive or lowball is hit slightly to my right (One step to my right)? If my partner runs in to get it, we could touch paddles; we're that close, and my partner has to travel much farther to get the ball than I do. It seems like I probably should take the shot. Can you give me a general guideline on how many steps away from me the ball should be when my partner should take it vs when I should take it?

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Hello Grain (good user name :)). There are few all the time maxims in pickleball (returner at the NVZ line is one). RTX is no exception. There are times when you will break the X. When you are up and your partner is back and you have a chance to stop your partner from being harassed, you will break the X. Think of it this way "what is the best shot for my team?" All things being equal, RTX will get you there. But when things are not equal, you may need to go deeper. Hope this helps.

[@sherwoodboudeman3440]

Depends on the skill level and mobility of all players….I usually try to leave an opening for my opponents to be their lowest percentage shot. For most people that would be a redirect down the line. Therefore I would say you’re normally better off having the left side player covering the middle, and the right side player covering the wide angle. Now if your partner is young and fast, then maybe sit on the down the line shot…. if they’re not that fast, they will have a difficult time retrieving that wide shot. One final thing I like to tell people…. don’t hit a dink that ends up on the sideline….keep it 3 or 4 feet inside the line, then it doesn’t become an issue.😁

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Interesting approach. Appreciate the thought process and thanks for sharing it.

[@one5749]

All the time. We look at each other.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Looking is good

[@Mobev1]

As a guy worth 22 million from playing pickleball with guys that are also involved in development and real estate projects I can say that I don’t do business with guys that can’t comprehend these basic rules. Everything this coach says makes sense. We also do high dollar business owner tourneys with $8k entry fees at a guys house over a course of 3 weeks playing 2x a week.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Hello James. I am not really following this comment but congratulate you on the pickleball success.

[@Mobev1]

@@BestPickleballCoach how did you know I was James?

[@ThiccBoi23]

Easy to know, hard for me to in the moment react

[@BestPickleballCoach]

100% agreed. It is a practiced skill.

[@vanadyan1674]

You could say it is a well established Xiom

[@BestPickleballCoach]

💯

[@ralphparker]

It seems to me that if you, on the blue team and on the right side get so far over to the left that you can cover a speedy pass shot on your partners left just missing him, because your guidelines says that's not his shot and it is easily within his reach (and not stretching or moving). That you've slid so far over that now your opponent actually has a great chance of a passing shot across the court and just out of the kitchen. The block players on your board make it hard to judge realistic coverage distances. Finally, the new X you drew didn't connect the players but was something different.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Good observations Ralph but think of it in terms of anticipation. For the player on the left on the blue team, it is easier if they can just be ready on one side - as opposed to 2 sides. The player on the right too. This way the players don't have to guess. And you are correct, this is an expansion of the X concept from prior videos. An evolution of it, if you will. Solid understanding of it both ways.

[@karenk5472]

I've been told that supposedly "great shot" to far right of the court is a "low percentage" shot, which means it is highly likely to go out. My coach tells me to let those go.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

@@karenk5472 agree with your coach. Give your coach our regards. Thanks

[@afterthesmash]

Don't defend what the opponents won't punish. It's all about the odds. Can the opponent ace that crosscourt more often than they fault into the net or strike long? When you do manage to retrieve the ball, do you end up at less than 50% to win the ongoing kitchen battle? If the opponent proves both of those true by actually hitting several crosscourt aces, then you have to relinquish your optimal positioning. You can start by sliding a foot right. Now the opponent will ace fewer crosscourt. Can the opponent pick up the slack by hitting accurate balls down the line? If not, no harm done. If the opponent can punish all three gaps with equal ease regardless of how you bias yourselves, you're probably losing because the opponent is a superior player. I'm tall with reasonably good anticipation and long legs. In my 3.5-4.0 game, I rarely get aced with a long crosscourt, even when I fade outrageously into the middle. Playing the left sideline, I often leave an opening there. The trick is to arrive at the kitchen too far to the center, then shift to the left by small degrees as your paranoia dictates while your opponent is lining up the ball. I can also cut a fair number off with a stabbing backhand if I'm surprised when I haven't shifted. I generally give up a couple of clear aces down the line per hour of play in order to maintain a more central position. I consider this an excellent investment. Everything else is 5% easier when you dominate the center.

[@mjm-up3ou]

Good video, but way too wordy. Could’ve been done in much less time.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Appreciate the feedback - I do like words :). For some the additional explanation helps drive it home. A balance for sure. Thanks for checking it out.

[@matthewnapoleon125]

I like the additional words

[@BestPickleballCoach]

@@matthewnapoleon125 :)

[@AnnMitt]

We should wear a T shirt that has "Respect the X" on the front and back for when we are playing in ladder leagues. Playing with new people each week makes communication difficult.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Love this idea! :)

[@AnnMitt]

@@BestPickleballCoach do you sell T shirts on KZbin or your website?

[@BestPickleballCoach]

@@AnnMitt it is a work in process. Be a bit til the structure is set.

[@micthepro]

Advanced Pickleball = beginning tennis. That is the first lesson you learn when playing doubles on the tennis court.

[@matthewnapoleon125]

Pickleball attracts a larger demographic and is easier to pick up. People are not afraid to play without any real training at all.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Glad you got that off your chest. Hope you’re feeling better now. Thanks for playing.

[@clintroberts1]

4.5 minutes in before you even started telling the strategy smh

[@BestPickleballCoach]

That so?

[@agkuramedia]

Stop man-splaning. you take way too long getting to your point for anyone with ADHD.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

I am going to mansplain this: you are not using mansplain correctly here :). Take care