Member Training Tips

Apr 25, 2025

Third Shot Drive, Fifth Shot Drop and Driving Slice Return

Tip 1: Third shot drive, fifth shot drop

When hitting a third shot drive, the best possible outcome is that your opponent flat out misses it, causing you to score a point just off that shot. Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen as often as you might like. Statistically, most third shot drives will be returned by your opponent, which means that you need to have a plan for your next shot — the fifth shot.

If your opponents return your third shot drive, the best shot to follow it up with is usually going to be a fifth shot drop. At the end of the day, the third shot drive is a transition shot, meaning it is a shot that you use to transition between the baseline and the kitchen. We always think of the drop as a transitional shot: when executed properly, it is unattackable and gives you time to approach the kitchen. Typically it is easier to hit a drop the closer you are to the kitchen. When you hit a third shot drive, you can often force your opponent into returning the ball shorter in the court. Therefore, when you hit a third shot drive, you are likely to get an easier drop opportunity on the fifth shot, that you can use to transition all the way in.

So if you don’t win the rally directly off of your third shot drive, try to drop the next one. It will probably be an easier drop opportunity, and give you the chance to get all the way up to the kitchen line.

Tip 2: Driving slice returns

Pickleball is all about decision making, and one of the age old questions in the sport is “drive or drop?” As the serving team, whether or not you will score a point or give up a side out sometimes comes down to the choice you make on your third shot. To help you with your decision making, here is one situation where it is almost certain that you should hit a third shot drive.

When your opponent hits a slice return. If your opponent hits their return of serve with backspin, you should drive it nearly every single time. This is because their slice will turn into topspin from you. The additional topspin from their slice means that you can hit the ball harder and still keep it in! Plus, it will make it much harder for them to deal with your shot because topspin makes the ball go down. It’s very possible that they will be returning your drive from well below the net!

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