In pickleball, you are always looking for a put away shot to end the point.
As you advance in pickleball you level the playing field on offense by advancing through the transition zone to the kitchen line. This is done most effectively using a third shot drop. This is a 3.5+ Skill level shot, and one outcome of an effective drop shot is a point won when you capitalize on a mistake made by your opponent and put away the shot.
When you hit a good drop shot that just clears the net and bounces, your opponents may try to keep you back one last time.
Many times, this will be a speed up shot right at you. They may also try to dink it back and make a bad dink shot and pop it up. Be ready and take advantage of this.
Finish the point with a put away shot if they make this mistake.
Move in to Put Away the Shot
This is a pivotable point in pickleball. Moving in on a good drop shot is critical and many times ends the point. When you and your partner move in you put immediate pressure on your opponents.
They sense you are moving in and have to make a split-second decision on what they will do.
If one of you stays back, experienced players will see this and volley the shot back at the feet of the player not advancing to keep them back.
If you both move in, this complicates their decision, and they are more likely to make a mistake.
Move Together to Put Away the Shot
If your partner is more advanced and consistently hits drop shots at the opponent in front of you, they expect you to move in when a good drop shot is executed.
Failing to move forward and preparing for a potential put-away shot is a missed opportunity. Your partner may lose confidence in hitting drop shots to the opponent in front of you.
It’s important to stay alert and always advance on a well-placed drop shot from your partner.
Moving to the net on a good drop shot made by your partner is essential for improving your game and playing at the 3.5+ level in pickleball.
Pickleball Put Away Shot
In the illustration below a good third shot drop is played. Both offensive players advance quickly and one of them puts away a popup hit by the defense.
You hit a good drop shot that lands in the kitchen just over the net. You and your partner advance to the kitchen line. You have successfully leveled the playing field by advancing to the kitchen line and are looking for a mistake from your opponents.
1. Your opponent doesn’t concede it is a good drop and tries to make a quick speed up shot back at you. Alternatively, they attempt a dink but pop the dink shot up. In either case, the ball is moving up to get over the net, it is above net height and is within your reach to volley.
2. You are at the kitchen line waiting for this and you put away the shot. You smash or volley it hard and down.
Summary
Once again, if you hit a good drop shot, move in. If you don’t move in, you are not positioned to put away your opponent’s attempt to respond.
Be aggressive and move in on a good drop shot to finish the play.