Pro Tip: When to Speed Up the Ball

Hey guys, this is James Igntowich, and today I wanted to cover when to speed the ball up and when not to.

Point number one: if you can make contact with the ball out of the air, you should speed it up.

Point number two: if the contact is at or above the height of the net, you should definitely speed it up.

When you can make contact with the ball out of the air and above the height of the net, you should speed it up every time. This allows you to impart a downward trajectory on the ball. While you might not win 100% of those exchanges, you will win more than you will lose.

So if you can hit down on your speed-up, you should do it. This will bait your opponent into reacting quickly from a lower position, likely causing them to overswing and miss deep, as shown below.

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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. jamesignatowichnewsletter | PPA | MLP | My paddle