8 Essential Fixes to Become a Threat in Pickleball Doubles

There's a common thread that binds all these strategies together and will transform your game overnight: constant communication eliminates confusion and builds trust with your partner

Pickleball doubles is a game of positioning, communication, and trust.

You can have the best strokes on the court, but if you and your partner aren't moving as one unit and covering the right areas, you'll get picked apart.

Shea Underwood, a well-known pickleball instructor and pro, breaks down eight essential fixes that separate threats from targets in his latest coaching video.

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1. Watch Your Partner's Third Shot

When your partner is hitting the third shot drop, your job is to watch them and read the quality of their shot.

A good drop lands around your opponent's feet; a bad one floats up around chest height. By observing this, you'll know instantly whether to advance or retreat.

Once you've read the shot, communicate it with one simple word: "go" or "back." This verbal cue tells your partner exactly what you're doing. When you say "go," you're signaling that the shot was good enough that your opponent will have to take it below the net, so you're moving forward aggressively. "Back" means the shot is vulnerable, and you need to reset your position.

2. Master the Shuffle and Stay Balanced

Many players face forward and backward when moving during the third shot exchange. That's inefficient. Instead, turn your body sideways toward your partner and shuffle. This positioning lets you move either direction quickly without losing balance.

After you make your initial move, reset into a split step so you're ready to react to whatever comes next. Whether you're moving forward or backward, you should be on the balls of your feet, ready to pounce.

3. Stack on Your Serves

Stacking means both players start on the same side of the court before the serve, then one player steps across to their designated side. This eliminates confusion about positioning and reduces the number of scenarios you need to learn.

The key is consistency. If you're a lefty-righty team, you're already stacking naturally. Even if you're both righties, stacking keeps things simple: one player always covers the left side, the other always covers the right.

4. Move as a Unit at the Kitchen

This is where most doubles teams break down. When your team hits the ball, both players need to move in the same direction. Pretend there is an invisible string connecting you and your partner.

If your partner hits to the sideline, you both slide that way. If you hit a ball crosscourt, you move too. Too many players only react to where the other team hits the ball, not where their own team is hitting it.

Moving as a unit keeps you in sync and prevents gaps. It also makes it harder for your opponents to find open court.

5. Aggressively Cover Your Sideline

Each player owns their sideline. If the ball is on your side of the court, you're responsible for covering your sideline aggressively. This means positioning yourself far enough out that your partner can trust you to handle anything down the line.

Your partner's job is to cover the middle with their big forehand. By giving them that space and owning your sideline completely, you create a clear division of responsibility. No guessing, no collisions, no open court.

If the ball goes way out wide, don't try to be a hero. Just get it over the net. A defensive dink down the sideline is better than an aggressive miss that leaves the middle wide open.

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6. Point Your Paddle at the Ball

This is a simple but powerful focus tool. Keep a "laser pointer" at the end of your paddle, always aimed at the ball. For right-handed players, point at the left side of the ball so you can cover more with your backhand. For left-handed players, point at the right side.

This keeps your mind locked on the ball and it positions your paddle in the right spot to react quickly. You won't overcommit to one side, and you'll be ready for shots that come at you.

7. Communicate Constantly

The glue that holds all these fixes together is communication. Whether it's calling "go" or "back" on the third shot, or simply saying "mine" or "yours" at the kitchen line, constant communication eliminates confusion and builds trust with your partner.

When both players know what the other is doing, you move as one unit. When you move as one unit, you control the court.

8. Practice These Fundamentals

With these fundamentals, you'll transform as a player. Start implementing these eight fixes in your next match, and watch how quickly your game improves.

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