Cat and Mouse is Unavoidable

When tennis players start playing pickleball, it’s usually the singles game that comes naturally. In singles, you can hit powerful ground strokes and passing shots from the baseline.

That was no problem for Jaume Martinez Vich, who made the switch from tennis to pickleball last year. Where he struggled was in the cat-and-mouse game.

He explained on the PicklePod how the cat-and-mouse game was giving him the most trouble and was his biggest barrier to breaking through at the pro level.

The cat-and-mouse game is similar to a dink rally in doubles. Players utilize the kitchen and hit unattackable shots to improve their court position. If they can force a mistake from their opponent or catch them out of position, then they pounce.

To start a cat-and-mouse rally:

• Hit a drop into the kitchen instead of attempting a passing shot
• Advance toward the kitchen line and follow the same path as the ball to remove potential passing angles
• If done successfully, your opponent will be forced to play a dink instead of having the option to pass
• Bonus tip: drop to the backhand side; it is more difficult to create offense with the backhand for most players

If singles is your jam, then learning the cat-and-mouse game is a must. And if anyone says pickleball is not a good workout, let them try covering the whole court by themselves.

Cat-and-Mouse Drills

Morgan Evans outlines another cat-and-mouse drill here:

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