Backhand Flick: Tips and Techniques from Pro Player

Top 5 Pro Player James Ignatowich

Hey guys, this is James Ignatowich, and I’m going to cover how to hit the backhand flick. When I’m hitting backhand flicks, I find it easier to hit it harder crosscourt on a low ball than it is down the line. This also applies if you’re defending a backhand flick. If you see someone take the ball out of the air from below the height of the net, they can go down the line, but they won’t be able to hit that ball very hard. There’s less court and the net is higher.

For me, I found it easier to either go middle or crosscourt because there’s more space and you can hit it much harder. This means that when you’re defending a backhand flick, if you see your opponent take it from below the height of the net out of the air, you don’t have to worry as much about them going down the line with a lot of pace. If they do, they’re probably not going to keep it in.

When I’m attacking backhand flicks, my first spot to attack is usually right down the middle. The right side player in front of me is taught to fade backhand, and the left side player will have to get there in a hurry because I’m taking it out of the air and can put a lot of pace on it.

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James Ignatowich is a top 10 professional pickleball player originally from Connecticut, now residing in Delray Beach, Florida. A former Division 1 tennis player at Vanderbilt University, James made a transition to pickleball, quickly rising to prominence in the sport and often playing doubles with Tyson McGuffin and Anna Bright. In addition to his athletic achievements, he runs his own podcast, where he shares insights into the game and interviews other professionals. My paddle | PPA | MLP | jamesignatowichnewsletter |