Friday, June 27, 2025

Master The Two Handed Backhand Dink - Pro Tips and Drills

 

Stroke Mechanics
two handed dink technique

Here's a breakdown of the two-handed backhand dink technique in pickleball, emphasizing key aspects from the provided search results:


1. Grip:Dominant Hand: 
  • Use a continental grip or slightly towards an eastern grip, where the base knuckle of your index finger aligns with the second or third bevel of the paddle handle.
  • Non-Dominant Hand: Place your non-dominant hand directly above your dominant hand.
  • Handle Placement: Position your dominant hand towards the bottom of the grip to leave space for your non-dominant hand.
  • Hand Position: Your hands should be touching but not overlapping. Avoid intertwining your fingers. Some players find it helpful to place one or two fingers of their non-dominant hand higher on the paddle throat for added support.
2. Ready Position & Stance:Ready Position: 

  • Maintain a ready position with two hands on the paddle. This makes it easy to switch to a forehand or a one-handed punch when needed.
  • Facing Your Target: When dinking, face your opponent rather than turning completely sideways.
  • Staying Low: Bend your knees significantly and stay low throughout the shot, especially at contact. Exaggerate the knee bend as much as needed. Avoid bending with your back.
  • Paddle Position: Drop the paddle tip below your wrist.

3. Stroke Mechanics:Focus on the Non-Dominant Hand: 

  • The stroke's power and rotation come largely from your non-dominant hand. Think of it as the hand that's "pushing" the ball, while your dominant hand is mostly for guidance.
  • Generating Topspin/Sidespin: Drop your paddle below the ball and swing from low to high, brushing up the back of the ball. For added sidespin, essential for cross-court dinks, try to cup or come around the outside of the ball, using your non-dominant hand to contact the left side of the ball (for right-handers).
  • Contact Point: Ideally, make contact with the ball slightly to the left of your front foot (for right-handers) and in between the back and bottom of the ball.
  • Compact Swing: Strive for a short and compact swing, focusing on your unit turn (shoulders and torso) rather than solely using your arms and wrists. Avoid unnecessary backswing or wrist flicking.
  • Follow Through: After contact, follow through by bringing the paddle up above the level of the net. Maintain a straight elbow through the entire shot, swinging out towards your target. Your paddle should finish at around shoulder height.
  • Control over Topspin: While topspin is important, prioritize consistency over excessive topspin.
  • Stay Down: Maintain your low stance and keep your body and head down until after you've made contact with the ball. Imagine there's something on your head that you don't want to lift.

4. Shot Selection:Neutral or Dead Dinks: 

  • The two-handed backhand dink is most effective when the ball is neutral or slightly high. It allows you to take control and put pressure on your opponent.
  • Avoid When Stretched: Don't use the two-handed dink when stretched out wide, as it limits your reach. A one-handed backhand is more efficient for covering wide balls.
  • Strategic Use: Utilize the two-handed backhand dink to hit aggressive shots, generate topspin and sidespin to spread your opponent out wide, and open up the court. Vary your targets (crosscourt, down the line, middle) to keep your opponents guessing. 

5. Common Mistakes to Avoid:Cutting the ball too much:
 
  • Excessive cutting with a high-to-low-to-high swing leads to pop-ups.
  • Bending the elbow: Maintain a straight elbow throughout the swing for control and consistency.
  • Improper wrist position: Avoid a flat or neutral wrist; cock your wrist slightly back and upward.
  • Poor footwork: Always adjust your footwork to get behind the ball and maintain a consistent contact point.
  • Standing upright: Bend your knees deeply to get under the ball and keep your paddle face open.
  • Over-rolling the ball: Focus on lifting the ball with an upward motion rather than forcing topspin by rolling over it.

By implementing these techniques and avoiding common mistakes, you can effectively utilize the two-handed backhand dink to enhance your pickleball game and gain an advantage at the kitchen line.

Wednesday, June 25, 2025

Tuesday, June 24, 2025

2025 Select Medical Orange County Cup MxD Bronze Bright/Patriquin vs Humberg/Klinger

 

Jim Kloss (Commentator): Big H's shot had good topspin, thanks to using the two-handed backhand. That's another big advantage of the two-hander — it lets you generate more topspin, which is usually more effective than what you can get with a one-handed backhand.

Bronze Medal Match
12:38 Beautiful topspin drop

Sunday, June 22, 2025

2025 Select Medical Orange County Cup Playlist

 

100 Videos

June 22, 2025: Order of play for Championship Sunday at Select Medical Orange County Cup

 

AI Studio Sunday Summary
  1. Women's Singles: Anna Leigh Waters, who has not lost a singles match in over a year, will face a surging Catherine Parenteau in the final. Anna Leigh Waters vs Catherine Parenteau

  2. Men's Singles: Federico "Fetty" Staksrud is set to play Hunter Johnson, whose powerful serve and two-handed backhand are predicted to pose a significant challenge. Federico Staksrud vs Hunter Johnson

  3. Mixed Doubles: The top two seeds will compete, featuring Anna Leigh Waters and Ben Johns against the Johnson duo. The matchup is expected to be extremely close and go the distance. Waters/Johns vs Johnson/Johnson

  4. Men's Doubles: The #1 seed (Ben Johns & Gabe Tardio) and #2 seed (Hayden Patriquin & Federico Staksrud), who entered the tournament with identical ranking points, will face each other in the final. Johns/Tardio vs Staksrud/Patriquin 

  5. Women's Doubles: A "Breakup Showdown 2.0" will see former partners compete, as Catherine Parenteau and Rachel Rohrabacher challenge the undefeated (37-0) team of Anna Leigh Waters and Anna Bright. Waters/Bright vs Parenteau/Rohrabacher









2025 Veolia Atlanta Pickleball Championships Playlist

  



Friday, June 20, 2025

2025 PPA Select Medical Orange County Cup: Anna Leigh Waters/Anna Bright


In the 3rd point of this Round Of 16 Women's Doubles match, Anna Leigh Waters hit an amazing off speed Twoey backhand dink roll winner from the middle of "No Mans Land" (NML) to Vivienne David's backhand down the line.

Players Socials

Thursday, June 19, 2025

Tanner Tomassi: Understanding the Difference Between a "Push" Dink and a "Dead" Dink

 

Mastering the Dink: How to Apply Pressure and Avoid Getting Attacked with Your Soft Game at the Kitchen Line


Introduction:
In the nuanced world of pickleball, the dink shot can make or break a rally. Often misunderstood as simply a "soft shot," the dink actually comes in two important forms: the push dink and the dead dink. In a recent instructional video, Tanner Tomassi breaks down these two types of dinks and explains how understanding their differences can elevate your game — especially at the non-volley zone (NVZ), also known as the kitchen. This guide translates Tomassi’s insights into a clear step-by-step approach for practicing smarter, applying more pressure, and avoiding easy attacks.


What Is a Push Dink?

A push dink is a controlled, intentional shot that travels with purpose and lands in a high-pressure area near your opponent’s feet — specifically within what Tyson McGuffin calls the "pressurized zone." This is the zone just beyond the kitchen line, extending one step into the court.

  • Characteristics of a Push Dink:

    • Has forward motion or "intent."

    • Lands near or on the opponent's kitchen line.

    • Keeps your opponent guessing: Should they volley it out of the air? Let it bounce? Step back?

    • Causes indecision and creates opportunities for your team to move in or attack.

What Is a Dead Dink?

A dead dink lacks energy and intention. It’s a soft shot that usually lands too far from the kitchen line, often sitting up and inviting your opponent to pounce.

  • Characteristics of a Dead Dink:

    • Floats or lands too shallow (closer to the net).

    • Doesn’t create pressure — it invites it.

    • Easy to attack or volley aggressively.

    • Often leads to your team being put on the defensive or losing the rally outright.


The Pressurized Zone: Your Target Area

Imagine stepping one foot into the kitchen and drawing an imaginary line across the court. Everything beyond that line, extending several inches toward your opponent, is the pressurized zone. This is your target area.

When you consistently land your dinks in this zone:

  • You force your opponent to make quick decisions.

  • You reduce their options.

  • You control the tempo of the rally.

Tomassi recommends practicing dinks that land as close to the kitchen line as possible without hitting the net — giving you maximum pressure and control.


Practice Tip from Tanner Tomassi:

“Next time you're practicing, aim your dinks as close to the kitchen line as possible.”


Summary:

A push dink applies pressure, lands in the pressurized zone, and keeps your opponent off balance. A dead dink is passive, sits up, and invites an attack. By focusing your practice on controlled, intentional dinks that land near the kitchen line, you can dramatically increase your effectiveness at the net and win more points. The dink isn’t just a soft shot — it’s a strategic weapon. Make it count.





Monday, June 16, 2025

Who I’m Like: Anna Bright” – A Pickleball Anthem Hits the Mic and the Court


AC Baby’s High-Energy Tribute Is More Than Just a Song—It’s a Cultural Moment for the PPA Era


Introduction:
In a packed episode of the King of the Court podcast, Alex Crum—aka AC Baby—dropped more than just insider pickleball talk. He previewed the release of a bombastic new anthem titled Anna Bright (Official Music Video). What began as a playful discussion about name-checking top-tier pros turned into a full-blown cultural reveal: a hip-hop track packed with swagger, ferocity, and unfiltered admiration for the rise of one of pickleball’s biggest stars.


The Build-Up: “It’s Not About Anna Leigh…”

In the King of the Court interview, Crum teased the inspiration behind his latest single. “It may or may not be named after a very prominent professional pickleball player,” he laughed. While co-hosts guessed Anna Leigh Waters, Crum quickly clarified, “It’s not about her... even though it was going to be.” He explained that the optics of a 33-year-old man dedicating a song to an 18-year-old phenom might “be misconstrued in some type of way.”

Instead, Crum landed on Anna Bright—one of the sport’s most electrifying female pros—as the song’s namesake. “It’s Mo Bamba, it’s Tyler Herro—not Halle Berry,” he said, emphasizing that the track is more about energy, grit, and game than romance or glamour. “It’s a certified banger,” he added, confidently predicting the song’s future presence at PPA events across the country.


The Song: Bold Bars, Court Swagger, and High BPMs

The official video opens with a simple question—“Are you ready?”—before launching into a machine-gun flow of athletic bravado:

“Put me in the ring and I’ll compete / I’m so heavy with these hands / I’m too nimble on my feet…”

What follows is a lyrical blitz that names Bright outright:

“Yo, hey Anna Breezy / My god, you make it look easy / You line up all of these picklers / And turn them into zucchini…”

With playful metaphors and thumping 808s, Crum casts himself as both competitor and commentator. Lines like “It’s hot boy summer” and “I’m a grim reaper, I’m a ditch digger” give the track its fighting-edge tone, while “Took a step outside and it’s all looking bright” doubles as a nod to the song’s title and its defiant optimism.


From Soundbooth to San Clemente

Crum revealed that the song was recorded the night of the podcast and that a music video is in the works. “I’d love to get it out before San Clemente,” he said, referring to the upcoming PPA Tour stop. Whether it drops before or after, it’s clear this isn’t just a one-off track—Crum envisions it as the anthem of pickleball’s professional era.

He even referenced previous attempts at pickleball music, noting a former PPA employee who rapped during timeouts: “But this one? It’s on another level.”


The Legacy Play: A Song That Names the Brightest

In a sport still defining its pop culture footprint, Anna Bright (Official Music Video) doesn’t just ride the wave—it helps create it. The choice to center the song around Anna Bright is savvy. Bright, known for her fiery court presence and competitive fire, embodies the same traits Crum raps about: swagger, strength, and a hunger to win.

Far from a novelty, the track reflects how deeply embedded players like Bright are becoming in the cultural fabric of this fast-growing sport.


Summary: A Banger Born from Bravado, Brilliance, and Bright

Anna Bright (Official Music Video) is a high-octane celebration of dominance, hustle, and individuality on and off the court. Originating from an off-the-cuff podcast riff, it matured quickly into a full-fledged anthem. Alex Crum's decision to shift focus from Anna Leigh Waters to Anna Bright was less about controversy and more about ethos—the song had to match its subject's vibe, and Bright brought the heat.

With lyrical swagger, clever metaphor, and bold production, the song doesn’t just honor Anna Bright—it turns her into a symbol of the new pickleball generation. And in doing so, it might just become the official soundtrack of the sport’s most electric moments.

2022 PPA MN Indoor National Championships.- Technique in Slow Motion

Saturday, June 7, 2025

The Kitchen Interview: Leigh and Anna Leigh Waters

 

  1. 0:00 - Intro
  2. 1:41 - How Anna Leigh & Leigh discovered pickleball and what it means to their family
  3. 4:10 - Anna Leigh deciding that she wanted to focus on pickleball
  4. 5:26 - What took Anna Leigh's game from high 4.5 to pro
  5. 6:30: Leigh and Anna Leigh's first pro tournament together
  6. 6:58 - Leigh and ALW playing against each other for their first time in a pro tournament
  7. 9:00 - Drink Reign Storm
  8. 9:20 - At what point ALW knew this was going to be a full-time job
  9. 10:13 - The Waters realizing they needed lead tape
  10. 11:44 - At what point ALW realized she could be #1 in the world
  11. 12:29 - How good ALW was at soccer
  12. 13:20 - ALW's weak grip strength and how it benefits her game
  13. 14:28 - Playing with a paddle that has no grit
  14. 14:45 - Leigh's injury and it being an inflection point of ALW's career
  15. 19:03 - Anna Leigh Waters becoming Anna Leigh Waters
  16. 19:38 - ALW playing against Ben Johns
  17. 20:33 - Will Leigh and Anna Leigh play more together in the future
  18. 20:56 - Leigh's rehab and becoming a great coach
  19. 21:36 - Leigh coaching Christian Alshon
  20. 22:19 - Christian Alshon's mentality and emotion
  21. 23:50 - When did Anna Leigh know that she wasn't going to college and was all-in on pickleball
  22. 25:06 - ALW being homeschooled and being more comfortable around adults than kids
  23. 25:58 - What keeps ALW motivated and her insane competitive drive
  24. 28:28 - ALW's crazy talk on the sideline and self-awareness
  25. 28:58 - ALW's need for breaks and the pickleball grind
  26. 30:35 - The toll a triple crown run takes on ALW's mind and body
  27. 33:26 - Comparing ALW's mentality to the greatest athletes such as Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, etc. and her relationships with other pros
  28. 35:31 - Anna Leigh's bus
  29. 36:03 - ALW's accomplishments so far and is she the GOAT?
  30. 36:38 - Does ALW think she's on the level of Caitlin Clark and Serena Williams?
  31. 37:45 - How ALW stays so driven
  32. 39:56 - What else ALW could see herself doing after pickleball and the amazing opportunities pickleball provides people to do amazing stuff
  33. 40:47 - How vacations help ALW in the next tournament
  34. 41:57 - Jared's take on how important perspective is and focusing on joy
  35. 43:11 - Tuning out the haters
  36. 43:33 - Where does ALW see herself in 10 years
  37. 44:32 - Stories about all of the cool people that we've got to meet because of pickleball
  38. 45:50 - ALW's excitement about where she's currently at in her career
  39. 46:46 - How would ALW do in a men's singles draw?
  40. 48:24 - The Waters thoughts on the current paddle situation
  41. 51:18 - Will ALW and Anna Bright ever lose?
  42. 53:33 - ALW's craziest pickleball stories
  43. 56:33 - The Hayden Patriquin situation

Age is Just a Number: The Joyce Jones Story | AARP Pickleball Stories |

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