Pickleball! Professional Pickleball Game Picked Apart! Learn by Watching Others!

[@daveharter6469]

Great play, I say two things when a partner misses a shot? we all do. 1. Don't worry about it. If we returned all the shots, we would not be playing out here!! 2. Don't worry about it. The best players in the world lose 7-9 points a game.

[@pickleballpick-apart9787]

Also, pickleball is a game of scoring runs. No matter how far you get down, do not give up. Once you have the ball in hand, your opponent cannot score.

[@Bergarita]

Coming from baseball where are errors are magnified, I was devastated by the number of errors I made when I first started playing pickleball. Now I understand that errors are a big part of pickleball. Make your error and get over it quickly.

[@pickleballpick-apart9787]

When an error costs me a game, sometimes it lingers for a while.

[@alanmclaughlin3475]

My wife started playing before me and although she was good, I couldn't understand why she was making so many errors. Now I understand.

[@Kalamabbfan]

One observation ab;out Callie backing up from the Kitchen, as you might notice, the shots at this level come at you a lot faster than at the lower levels. So backing up a step or two gives you a little more time to read the shot coming at you. Another player who sometimes backs up a little is Anna Leigh Waters. I am sure you have watched many of her matches and have noticed the same thing. Keep up the good work.

[@pickleballpick-apart9787]

Thank you. Next time I watch Anna Leigh I will pay closer attention to see if she is doing what you say she is doing. I'm assuming you are correct. Thanks for pointing that out.

[@Kalamabbfan]

@@pickleballpick-apart9787 I just picked the first match at the top of the list after searching "anna leigh waters" in KZbin and came up with these games from the PPA finals: kzbin.info/www/bejne/b2HOYmOqiLOCY68 If you watch carefully, especially in the first game, she is often off the line 3 or 4 feet. Even though the score was 11-4 11-7, this was an amazingly entertaining game.

[@scottwinkler9810]

Match was a lot fun to watch!! Learned a lot!

[@pickleballpick-apart9787]

That's awesome. Thanks for watching. I'm glad you learned something. Tell a fellow pickleball player.

[@Bergarita]

Rory, another very good analysis video. Thanks for your content.

[@pickleballpick-apart9787]

Thanks.

[@CWK090]

Rory, At 19:12, you pointed out the difference between Daniel and Callie's ready position at the NVZ when their partner is receiving the serve. You previously pointed out Callie's very athletic ready position and explained that Daniel is standing straight up because he is going to switch sides after the serve. Daniel shouldn't do that. At 11:39 Callie opens her hand behind her back signalling to Jay that she will switch sides after the serve. If her intention was to hold her position she would signal with a closed fist. Unlike Daniel, after signalling, Callie goes into her ready position even though she intends to switch sides. That is how it is done! The whole point of signalling behind your back is to not give away your intention to switch sides or hold your position. Before receiving a serve, a good player is thinking about where they intend to return the ball. Maybe they intend to target one opponent's weak backhand or whatever. When their opponents switch sides at the last second it throws them off.

[@pickleballpick-apart9787]

Thanks for pointing that out.

[@ninalaw6721]

The obvious takeaway for me is that even at this level, they make a lot of unforced errors (so I don't have to be quite as hard on myself). What I also noticed was that they really try to keep the ball low over the net and when it's too high, the other team will immediately speed up.

[@pickleballpick-apart9787]

Thanks for watching. Yes, that's what they are waiting for, an opportunity. An opportunity to put the ball away.

[@stevenstackpole9470]

It was similar to a local tournament i recently went to. I was playing in an under 3.0 division. My partner and i had only been playing less than 2 months. Every team we competed against was playing at a much higher level (based on matches i have seen online). I think that was our last tournament but will continue to play with people better so i can learn to make plays like the 3rd shot drop and serving deep on for the 2 bounce rule. I really enjoy your videos. Keep posting and i look forward to more!

[@pickleballpick-apart9787]

Awesome. Thanks for watching. I hope you do get better and I hope one day, you try another tournament. Best of luck.

[@danhotel5961]

Always like watching these high level matches. Comforting to see them making the same unforced errors that us lower level players make. Thanks for posting

[@pickleballpick-apart9787]

You're welcome. And, you are correct. I'm surprised they made as many unforced errors as they made.

[@joshwood6153]

Also makes me think the ranks don't matter and I should go pro

[@MrBrad777c]

Callie def the hero of that game altho just WICKED all around play! Her hands and form with basically no unforced errors made the win insured. Luckily for the other team Jay was a little off. Love Daniels forehand! So fun to watch all of them.

[@pickleballpick-apart9787]

All players are excellent. You know how good Jay is. I think you did have an off day.

[@iKumala]

The errors you make are the errors you regret. In racquetball it's a little more forgiving because of the walls, but in pickleball you have no room. Great Vid !

[@pickleballpick-apart9787]

Thanks for watching and thanks for the nice compliment.

[@henry0712]

Very entertaining. Thanks!

[@pickleballpick-apart9787]

You're welcome! Thanks for watching. Tell a pickleball friend.

[@keithchasteen8593]

Those unforced errors! My nemesis!!

[@pickleballpick-apart9787]

They are most player's. Thanks for watching.

[@CWK090]

Rory, Of those 4 players, Callie Jo Smith is the star. You just mention she played tennis in college. She is one of the top pickleball players on the planet, presently ranked at #5 in Doubles. Jay Devilliers is presently ranked at #15

[@pickleballpick-apart9787]

They are top players. This game goes to show even players like them can have an off-day.

[@PickleballJoy]

Shots per point: When I first switched to pickleball from tennis, my former tennis friends universally told me, "We hit a LOT more balls per point in pickleball!" I was prepared ... and it's true. Dubs in tennis? Points would be ended in 3-5 shots. Dubs in pickleball? I think my peers and I average 10-12 shots per point; another reason pickleball is so much more fun than tennis was. (After 15 months I'm playing in my first tourney next week. Singles and Mens Dubs. I may be so humbled that I stop posting my opinions so much...!)

[@pickleballpick-apart9787]

The tournament will be fun. Use it as a learning experience for future tournaments. I traveled 7 hours to play in one this weekend. There were 550 players. I did not have partners, but, I was teamed up with a male partner on Friday and a female partner today. The partner yesterday was not really at the same level we were playing. My female partner today was really good. We went 4 and 0 in round robin. We lost in the medal round. Not bad for two players who had never played before. Thanks for watching.

[@PickleballJoy]

@@pickleballpick-apart9787 Tourney: Silver Medal in Singles ... which I haven't played nearly as much. (But I was a strong singles player in tennis.) Men's Dubs: Got my partner with the "Need a Partner" button and we did NOT work well as a team. 0-5 in the Pool Play, so that was it. (The Gold Medalists were ALSO matched via Need a Partner, so it can work...!) I had a blast!

[@pickleballpick-apart9787]

@@PickleballJoy :Yes, depends on who you get. I don't play singles, but, more and more tournaments are having skinny singles. I think I can do it. Just have to learn the strategy.

[@jaimetarne9436]

It seems that everybtime callie received a drive shot and returned successfully she kept backing up until she was in the transition zone and it put her at a disadvantage.

[@pickleballpick-apart9787]

Thanks for watching. My advice is. Once you get established at the NVZ, do not retreat unless you pop one up extremely high. Thanks for watching.

[@MarkDoehrman]

Ive had many games that looked much like this in 4.5 rec play. Once in awhile everybody is in their game. It happens. Lot of errors in this game. Im sure we would get dusted by this level, but do think we would give them a little competition.

[@pickleballpick-apart9787]

Players sometimes don't have their "A" game. I think these players are much better than they exhibited in this particular game. I know it's a small simple size. Thanks for watching.

[@emiliebova]

They play with less fear than my level of playing. They play all out all the time.

[@pickleballpick-apart9787]

Yes. Very good players. Thanks for watching.

[@attybong]

callie smith plays in the ppa tour .. she's a pro

[@pickleballpick-apart9787]

Thanks

[@dennisrand5396]

Does anyone know why at about 8:11 Callie goes to the side of the NVZ?

[@pickleballpick-apart9787]

I'll have to check it out.

[@georgewu4854]

I think she was trying to do an erne, but the opponent directed the ball away from the sideline.

[@russellelefterion4260]

I feel like after Jay missing several drops he should drive a few and then go back to dropping

[@pickleballpick-apart9787]

Maybe so.

[@donaldlenardson6291]

Maybe it's not what these players Do that has them at the Pro level . Maybe it's what they Don't do that counts 🤔: they Don't do what 3.0-4.0 players do , and what remains is how they play .

[@pickleballpick-apart9787]

Thanks for watching. I don't think they had their A game in this match.

[@tomwharton9800]

Re your comment about playing more top spin cross court shots. Pickleball is not tennis (to coin a phrase that you use often) and you are usually better to drive down the middle or line - don’t just take my word it - Collin Johns says it in his “15 gems for amateur players". Driving cross court gives your opponent’s more reaction time. The reason Yana was hitting cross court was because she was trying to keep it away from the male player. This is typical play in mixed doubles - even at the lower levels. My wife and I just played in a 3.5 tournament in Australia and I would say she had to hit about twice as many balls as me! Also, please stop calling the transition area no-mans-land. Pickleball is not tennis 😊

[@pickleballpick-apart9787]

Thanks for your comments and thanks for watching all of my videos. I think your point is a very good one. I recently played against an ex-tennis player and almost every shot she hit was cross court. It was sometimes effective because my partner and I were not expecting it. I do not hit it very often. I would, like to get better at it so I can maybe throw it in every once in a while just to mix things up. So, if it's not no-man's land, should it be transition zone?

[@tomwharton9800]

Yes, you transition to the NVZ line from the baseline. You don’t want to hang out in this area but sometimes it can take one or two extra shots to allow you to move to the net.

[@pickleballpick-apart9787]

@@tomwharton9800 It can. Can't always hit an effective third shot drop.

[@tomwharton9800]

You are correct Rory, it is transition zone, not area.

[@DavidEmery-b1s]

You have no idea what you are talking about. On the first play the return is not even close to being deep. It is in fact extremely shallow and can easily be returned. It barely goes past the NVZ line.

[@pickleballpick-apart9787]

Ok, so I miss every once in a while. I don't claim to be perfect. But, hey, thanks for watching.