This is not an article on whether you should be left handed or right handed, this is about where you stand on your side of the court as a pair. Believe it or not, each side of the court has a different role. In this article, I’ll talk about what each side of the court should be doing. I’ll also talk about how those roles are changing.
What makes a good player on the left side of the court?
Players on the left side of the court will generally be seen to take up a bit more of the court. That’s because they will have to cover not only their backhand side down the line, but also their forehand will be in the middle of the court. They are an aggressive player, with good attacking shots. If you’re a left sided player you should be good at:
- Good at third shot drops and drives as you’ll likely take more of them.
- Good mobility and the ability to slide between the middle and the side of the court.
- The ability to build a point.
- Knowing when a dink is not attackable and knowing when to attack and finish a point.
What makes a good player on the right side of the court?
So if the left side is all about attacking at the right time, the right side is the opposite. Players on the right side of the court focus on consistency and counter attacking. Often, the right side player is the one to be attacked, so the ability to be ready and counter attack is vital. However, the key job of the right side player is to help build the point. If you’re a right sided player you should be good at:
- Good at forehand dinking.
- Being able to build the point.
- Being seen as unattackable.
- Having fantastic reactions and some attacking skills.
How do I decide?
You will know what side of the court you should be on because it is the side that you’re most comfortable on. Likewise, if one of those lists appeals to you, that will tell you what side of the court you should be on. I would tell you what side of the court I prefer there’s a problem with that.
You should also think about yours and your partners style, which of you best fits into which side of the court. Does one of you have better attacks? Does one of you have better counter attacks?
The other thing to think about is, are you taller? Taller players will commonly be on the left if you’re both right handed because they have a bigger reach across their forehand in the middle.
Help I’m playing with a left hander!
So if your pair has a left hander and a right hander, you will likely do the following. You will have both forehands in the middle and you will stack. Stacking is where you do not switch sides and stay on either the left or right side with clever standing when it comes to serving and return of serve. Stacking is confusing to explain in text form so I’ll leave it to the capable hands of ThatPickleballGuy.
What to watch out for?
When you watch the professionals, there’s a new generation of right sided players coming through. The old guard of Collin Johns and Matt Wright are very consistent but not particularly attacking, often good with the counter attacks. Now, there is a more proactive right sided style coming through. My favourite pairing at the moment is Daescu and Tardio who have been on an incredible run in the last few tournaments. Daescu is tall and takes the left side, Tardio though still looks for the attacking shots. He is proactive on the volley, looking for the opportunities. In fact, in this game you will find Navratil, a long time professional, is also becoming more aggressive on the right.
In conclusion…
Think about what side you and your partner is playing on. Are you playing on the right sides? Do you or your partner have a skillset that is not being used well? It could even be as simple as is one of you taller or better on your backhand. These are all things to think about when deciding what side of the court to play on. Especially when it comes to the Grid Pickleball League!
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