How to Pinch Middle Like a Pro

So, by this point, you already know the basics of how to cover the middle like a 4.0, but do you know how a pro pinches the middle to put maximum pressure on their opponents?  After a brief clinic with “Big Papa” James Ignatowich at Austin Pickle Ranch, I found some principles that even The Pickle Prof hadn’t thought of yet!

4.0 Basics

As a refresher, the role of covering the middle depends on where the ball is across the net from you.  If the ball is cross-court from you and in front of your partner, your partner must cover the line, so you are responsible for the middle ball.  This applies regardless of what side you are playing or if you are covering the middle with your backhand or forehand.  If the ball is cross-court from you, you have the middle!  But who covers the middle if the ball is across the net from your team near the middle of the kitchen?  Trick question: you both do!  If you clash, you clash, as that’s pickleball!  Both teammates prioritize covering the middle as your opponent will struggle to keep an attack in bounds if they angle a shot to either sideline.

6.0 Advanced

At the pro level, they don’t just cover the middle; they look to dominate it.  They do this by aggressively dinking and reading the paddle faces of their opponents.  This skill of reading the paddle face allows a pro to determine how much they can lean in and take balls out of the air.  As an opponent makes contact with the ball, their paddle is either open or closed.  A closed face is a paddle perpendicular to the ground, looks more like a serve or groundstroke, and is required to impart topspin for an aggressive dink or to attack the ball and keep it in the court effectively.  Conversely, an open paddle face shot resembles a scooping or slicing motion where the paddle face is pointed towards the sky.  In summary, an open paddle face looks like someone shoveling dirt or scooping ice cream with a spoon, whereas a closed face looks like Will Smith at the Oscars.  One is pretty benign, whereas the other deserves a bit of attention!

Winning Pickleball

The pros look for a closed or open paddle face to determine how much to pinch the middle and lean over the kitchen line. If they see an open paddle face, the shot is unlikely to get behind them cross-court, and their opponent will struggle to attack the ball when setting up with an open paddle face.  Picture Collin Johns scooping a cross-court dink or JW Johnson reaching back and shoveling the ball across the net.  When James sees these open paddle faces, he will pinch hard middle by leaning over the kitchen line toward the opponent making the shot.  He will, in turn, make their shot difficult by shrinking their landing zone and looking to attack or volley-dink the ball to maintain control of the rally.  However, if he sees a closed paddle face, he is more cautious with the extent he leans middle to be ready to quickly counter or chase down a more aggressive topspin cross-court dink. 

Reading the paddle face and your opponent’s tendencies can mean the difference between controlling the kitchen line or being controlled, which can mean the difference between winning and losing at the pro and amateur levels.  Take this concept with you the next time you hit the court, and let us know how it goes!

John is a PPR Certified Instructor, a professional rec player known by his pickleball friends as “The Professor.”  He aims to help players navigate their pickleball addiction with weekly tips from etiquette to technique to injury prevention.  He can be reached at ThePickleProf.com.