can't believe anyone who played tennis prior to pickleball didn't figure that out the first day on the court

Former tennis instructor here and topspin has allowed me to improve very fast. 3rd shots drops has a learning curve but topspin for tennis players gave me another option. 3rd shot drives followed by a partner “baking” or a 5th shot drop is much more my style at this point in development. One topspin shot you forgot to mention (VERY advanced skill) is the topspin lob. Having a swing that can disguise so many different shots is very helpful. The dipping shots make opponents really press to close the net so a well timed topspin lob can really offset this. Thanks for the vids …as a teacher myself …you put out good content

for someone who is only a few months into playing, the top spin shot has always been in my arsenal thanks to playing ping pong and dabbling in tennis years ago....now I get a video that reinforces my style....it's funny because I use the top spin on my serve all the time and it's not really fast but so many people have trouble with the return....mostly lesser skilled players but occasionally I will get an advanced player to flub it

Coming to pickleball from tennis two years ago, I used topspin right off. Felt so natural. That said, the hardest drive for me to return is a backhand slice with power (talking to you, George S).

Please make videos on topspin dinks and topspin drops, with proper technique and a progression of drills you could do for training. This would be so helpful! Thanks!

I use backspin against players that topspin. It actually increases their topspin to the point where they often hit the ball into the net. If you backspin with a flat slicing motion you can add velocity to the shot. The downside is the difficulty of executing the shot without piping the ball up.

Fabulous video! I've been working the last 2 months on this. It turned my mostly defensive game into a more offensive game.

Thanks Nicole as always great video lots of information to consider. Trying to use topspin, need to practice more. Getting better especially on the serve.😀

I came from tennis, topspin was an easy carryover, love it

I'm really glad I just watched this video again. I have a couple of comments/questions... You talk about topspin dinks and even show some in the video BUT you only show the players dinking directly across from each other. I ended up foolishly ignoring that advice because if I'm receiving a dink from an opponent who's directly across from me and hitting a dink back to that person, I find that topspin is maybe a little helpful but not helpful enough to make up for the occasional mis-hit where I end up hitting the ball pretty high. On the other hand, I've recently started hitting a majority of cross court "dinks" with top spin (both forehand and backhand) and that works really great! They're not really dinks anymore because I'm hitting the ball quite hard. If you could do a video someday focusing on cross court top spin "dinks" (kitchen shots) that'd be really great! The next question has to do with the 3rd shot drop. I've spent a lot of time and effort learning what I'll call the classic drop that doesn't have much if any spin, peaks at about 5 feet (or possibly more) a few feet before the net and then drops into the kitchen. I'm actually pretty good at it at this point but I'm now wondering why I bothered to learn it. Well, ok, it is somewhat useful. BUT. I find it fairly rare when it's a better choice for me than the topspin drop which has a lot more energy and is a lot harder to handle. Am I missing something? Most players I know hit classic drops and almost nobody I know hits topspin drops. Why? If I ask them they either give me a blank look as though they never thought about it or say it's "too risky" or something like that. Also, if you could someday do a video focusing on topspin drops would be great as well. Once again, I find your videos to be the best Pickleball videos on the net. Lots of videos show and talk about the "how" but your videos are much more thoughtful and have a great balance between the "how" and the "why." Your "9 Popular Pickleball Tips That Are Actually Ruining Your Game" should be required viewing for anybody who wants to play at a pretty high level (4+). Knowing what I know now, I could've progressed to where I am in half the time and your videos helped me break out of my ruts that were caused by well intentioned but truly terrible advice (for me - for others it was probably perfectly fine advice). So thanks again for that!

good instructional video...thanks

Thank you for this great video Nicole!

paddle tech i feel like is adding to this too. Its like Borg + poly's (raw carbon) impacting the sport at the same time. I wonder how long it will continue to be universally good guidance to crash the net on return of serve if access to high percentage passing shots continues to increase; reminds me of the transition from serve/volley in tennis to the modern baseline grinding game. Feels like its already kind of happening in singles. My favorite shot is still the heavy topspin offspeed drive (after a few full speed drives) that ends up going between the opponents' legs....

Amazing video love it

You are absolutely right Nicole! One of my favorite tools to win points….great video!

Great video. Ty

I've converted exclusively to an eastern grip specifically to maximize topspin. Consistent topspin lengthens the court.

Great video Nicole. When making contact with the ball, should you try to hit it at its apex or just as it begins to descend?

Yes! Top spin! Advance players have been telling me to keep my paddle low; I disagree.

oh, I totally agree with this topic. I use topspin on my drives (forehand). when I have good prep, my preference is a slight topspin (roll) volley off the forehand as well. my drop shot is less consistent, sometimes I feel like I get more of side spin than top spin. am still figuring out when to speed up off the dinking rally but usually I'm tempted to do it with a fore-hand topspin shot. would like to work on a top-spin backhand (maybe for dinking)... love to watch ALW dinking with top spin. also I feel like one of the most effective passing shots is when someone hits deep top spin (from the base line) pretty close to the body of the opponent at the net. the opponent lets it go bc at that height they think it's going out but it drops in (sometimes with a decent margin for error to boot). I love that (Colin Johns is pretty good with this shot).

Thanks Nicole. It took me months to master this shot. So don't give up!

As a former tennis player, my natural stroke was topspin. My tennis skills have helped me improve my pickleball game quickly, especially my serves, drives, and volleys. I seldom use topspin in dinking or lobs yet, but will drill on it. Do you have a video on topspin dinks and lobs? I really enjoy the way you present your material. Thank you for sharing your expertise.

I don't know how many times I have won points when my opponent thought for sure the ball was going to go beyond the baseline but the topspin forces the ball down faster and they are caught off guard when it lands in the 12-inch zone of the court. Really love the ones where they are totally overconfident and just watch it. That comes from my tennis days. I am currently working on getting better at using it when close to the NVZ. Great video!

Good discussion. Top spin has always been part of tennis so moving from that sport it was just a natural to adopt.

I used slice shots on my drops quite consistently and have been good at it, but is now working on topspin drives and drops. What type of grip do you use for the topspin drops or drives? Btw, great video

Really great, intriguing video. I used to play tennis with a super western grip - hit FH and BH with same side of racket - and I've found pickleball both fun and frustrating (it's hilarious how mad people get when you "spin" the ball, and I'm literally just trying to get it in play). I use a much less western grip obviously. I've tried emulating Jack Sock, since somehow he's made the transition. You are correct that the sport will evolve super-fast given its popularity, but god I miss tennis.

Do you recommend top spin back hand drops or backhand slice drops?

Interesting stuff. As a former tennis player, my game has used spin often and judiciously, mixed with flat swings etc., with good results. Taking classes with local PB pro’s, I was always scolded for using spin. “You’ll only advance so far using spin!” I understand that used incorrectly it can cause control problems. That was not a problem for me. Now most advanced players have adopted various spin techniques. I expect it and see it well. Usually! 😊 It makes the game more interesting and fun for me. So far, I’m still “advancing”!

Please make a video of how to strike the ball to create topspin. Newbie’s may not know how to create the topspin.

I predict that the lob will become an offensive shot to move players off the NVZ.

This content is splendid; it reminds me of a book I read with equally engaging themes. "The Art of Meaningful Relationships in the 21st Century" by Leo Flint

Nice 😊

I come from tennis so backhand slice and forehand top spin is normal ..thanks

I came from tennis and my topspin backhand is my fave shot. Despite this, in pickleball I still find the one-handed topspin drop VERY difficult (possibly the hardest shot in the game) and a low % shot. I guess I should keep with it and don't wimp out and slice instead?

I use it most effectively for my 3rd shot, a topspin DRIVING drop to the middle. I put so much topspin on it that it sinks down drastically. If my opponents can get it, I've already moved in to the transition zone for a 5th shot drop.

I use the topspin on almost every occasion and it certainly helps my game apply pressure .

How do you get topspin?

Those of us with no racket background can find our level & still have fun. I get a little jealous of the people with years of tennis under their belt.

Funny. Pickleball has helped my tennis by making me hit a little more flat but with more pace. Pickleball topspin is a bit different than the full tennis topspin swing. I now have a flat top spin tennis shot. Hard to explain.

Please show the technique of how to do top spin

Semi-western, eastern forehand or continental grip?

discuss how to respond eturn heavy topspin.

Those who came from tennis knew about this already. But the actual strokes are very different.

Relaxed Paddle grit regulation.

It's interesting that you call this tactic "NEW". I've been using tennis style topspin for years in the game, I think maybe the only thing that could be called "new" is the paddle surface technology in the last couple years providing more spin when wanted

pickleball players finding out about topspin is hilarious

This isn;t new at all. No one hits the ball "flat". even in your "flat" side shot example you're imparting quite a bit of top spin, you just generate more the further you drop the paddle head. The REAL thing that has been prevailing over the last year or so is a greater focus on drives, shake and bake, and speed ups. Those arent really new either, but paddle technology has improved, and players are better, so you're seeing players contantly hit low hard balls, flick speed ups, and not relying as much on dinking.

Playing like a tennis player.

While I like topspin, I feel it can ruin a game! Some people only hit that way and makes it NO FUN!! I guess if all you want is a quick game and it’s over great. If you want to enjoy yourself it’s annoying and feels like cheating!

It looks to me like you're talking about "a lot of topspin relative to ball speed" as opposed to just "topspin." For example, at 4:44 in the video you label your shot as "flat" but it looks like it has SOME natural topspin on it. Indeed, it's impossible to hit a ball with absolutely zero spin and the natural forehand swing of almost every higher level ex-tennis and many ping-pong players will have SOME topspin unless they're explicitly hitting a backspin shot or they're just blocking the ball. Nevertheless, you've now given away the secret of my best shot by far which I call the topspin medium paced drive. Hopefully, nobody I play will watch this video!!! I use it as my 3rd shot over half the time. If the service return is deep, I like it better than a drop shot because from deep in my own territory a drop shot is pretty risky for me - too deep and I'm giving my opponents a put away shot, not deep enough and it's in the net. I also like it better than the 3rd shot drive because as you point out, there's so many more angles available since the ball dives once it passes or gets near the net keeping it in bounds whereas with a hard drive the limited angles make me feel like I'm hitting the ball right to my opponents, which, even if it does have a lot of pace and is pretty low, is not optimal. I think that when you're teaching 3rd shot strategies, this top spin shot is really, really important. In ping-pong as players understand offensive and defensive use of spin it actually slows the game down and makes it more interesting. Hopefully, that'll happen in pickleball too since the trick is really not topspin per se, but topspin relative to ball speed so more spin, less speed is what's really helpful.

There is nothing new about top spin, I have been crushing people with top spin for over ten years.

tennis for unathletic people

everything EASY when the ball is SLOW