by Jenny Foster
Every pickleball player knows about the 3rd shot right? But there’s another shot that is, most often than not, ignored or not given too much attention in pickleball, and that is the 4th shot.
The 4th shot is the shot made by player after returning the ball, that is, as they transition from the baseline to the non-volley zone.
When hitting a return, a pickleball player’s goal is to ultimately return to the non-volley zone flawlessly and keep pressuring the opponent on the other side of the court. However, under certain circumstances, pickleball players will not be able to reach their desired position in time.
Considering the speed and arch of their shot, pickleball players should take time to practice the 4th shot as well as to read whether the opponent will make a 3rd shot drive or drop in order for them to hit a good return. In addition, they should be to tell where their opponent will go to next after the 3rd shot.
For example, the opponent may go forward up to the net and may stay at the baseline. Depending on the position of the opponent, a pickleball player should decide the direction of their 4th shot, that is, at the feet of their opponent. In short, there should be a target zone where the 4th shot should land.
After setting a target zone in mind, a pickleball player should ensure that the ball will land at the feet or below the knees of the opponent. A preferable shot should be the one that is away from the opponent’s body.
Pickleball players can also hit hard or high returns to ensure that they reach the non-volley zone line with sufficient time.
When training the 4th shot, instead of starting from the baseline, a pickleball player can start other areas in the transition zone to avoid exhausting their body too much. However, players should inhibit from starting from the non-volley zone line because they should also be able to assume a perfectly balanced position after running from the further side of the court up to the net.