We get asked all the time about pickleball spin: how to do it; when to use it; how to counter it. It seems that for most low- to mid-level players, spin is a bit of an enigma.
Let's focus on how to counter spin shots in pickleball...with more spin.
Zane Navratil is a master of spin shots of all variety. His chainsaw serve revolutionized the game, but we're not talking about serves today.
Zane encourages students to run the unique drill below to familiarize themselves with spin:
Two players will play out a singles point, but here's the catch: the server may only hit slice shots and the returner must use topspin.
When a sliced ball is struck with topspin, the effect is amplified. It is amplified again when the topspin ball is countered with slice.
"A lot of time people are intimidated when the other person is hitting with slice," preaches Navratil. His goal is to eliminate the fear by leaning into the spin.
These practice points put more action on the ball than you've ever seen, allowing you to harness the power of spin from an offensive and defensive perspective.
Gucci Zane also wants you to know what is happening at the point of contact:
- A topspin ball will jump up off the paddle at contact
- A sliced ball will dive down off the paddle at contact
Add this drill to your routine. Make pickleball spin a friend instead of an enemy.
