If you watch any top-tier pickleball match closely, you’ll notice that elite players aren’t just reacting to the ball — they’re predicting it. They’re preparing for the next shot, and the next one after that, long before the ball crosses the net. This skill, known as anticipation, is one of the biggest separators between intermediate and professional-level pickleball.
In this guide, we’ll break down what anticipation really looks like, why it’s so important, and how you can build it into your own game.
Why anticipation matters
Anticipation gives you time, and time is the most valuable currency on the court.
When you know what’s coming, you can:
- Position early.
- Counter more effectively.
- Apply pressure.
- Create better offensive opportunities.
- Win more points with less effort.
Here are some key anticipation concepts you can start using today:
1. Anticipating speed-ups at the kitchen line
Most speed-ups happen with predictable patterns—and high-level players rely on those patterns.
The triangle theory
If you take a ball from the outside of the court and speed it up across your opponent’s body toward the middle, the most likely reply comes back in a “triangle” pattern toward the middle.
- Give an angle → Expect an angled return.
- Give a straight ball → Expect a straight return.
It’s not about guessing, it’s about understanding probabilities. Anticipate the highest-percentage shot and position accordingly.
2. The Teeter-Totter Effect
This simple but powerful concept helps you prepare for your opponent’s strike based on the paddle angle.
- If the opponent’s paddle is angled down → The ball will come up.
- So, position your paddle up
- If the opponent’s paddle is angled up → The ball will come down.
- So, position your paddle down.
This tiny adjustment gives your body an extra fraction of a second to react, which can be the difference between a clean counter and a frantic stab.
3. Smart ready positioning: Slide, cheat, and prep early
Most advanced players cover 70-80 percent of their body with their backhand. That means pointing your paddle straight ahead in the ready position doesn’t make much sense.
Instead:
- Shift your paddle slightly toward your preferred side.
- “Slide” your body to create space.
- Bait your opponent into hitting into your strength.
The key?
Read your opponent’s paddle angle. The direction it’s pointing is often the direction the ball is about to go.
4. Anticipation in dinking exchanges
With modern paddle technology, any dink can be accelerated. You can’t just stand still — you need to anticipate based on the quality of your own shot.
- If you hit an offensive, pressure-inducing dink → Move forward to the kitchen line.
- Your opponent is likely to pop it up.
- If you hit a defensive dink that sits up → Stay off the line a bit to buy yourself time.
- Your opponent may speed it up.
This dynamic footwork (moving in when your opponent is under stress and backing up when you are) is a hallmark of elite dinking.
5. Anticipating during drives, drops, and poaches
When your partner drives or hits an aggressive drop, you can anticipate the pop-up and crash forward to poach.
What to look for:
- Your partner’s intent (they might even call it out).
- The opponent’s paddle angle.
- Where the ball was hit (line, middle, or crosscourt).
If the opponent has to reach or hit below net level, odds are high the ball is coming up. That’s your cue to strike.
Putting it all together
Anticipation isn’t one skill, it’s an awareness system:
- Watch paddle angles.
- Track probabilities.
- Position early.
- Adjust your distance from the kitchen line.
- Sync with your partner’s strategy.
- Move your feet with purpose.
When you train yourself to see cues early — before the ball even leaves your opponent’s paddle — you’ll start winning more points with less effort. Before long, you’ll feel like the game is slowing down in your favor.