Why Failing to Move In on the Return Is Sabotaging Your Pickleball Game
If there’s one habit that hurts rec players’ performance—and is my biggest coaching pet peeve—it’s this: staying back after the return of serve.
This isn’t tennis! In pickleball, hanging at the baseline after your return hands the serving team a massive advantage while stripping away yours.
The receiving team should always claim the non-volley zone first. From the kitchen line, you control angles, take time away, and apply pressure.
Photo by The APP
If you return and stay back or only move forward halfway, you give the serving team zero reason to hit a quality third shot. You’ve already relieved the pressure for them. Staying back truly gives your opponents the advantage. When you fail to advance, the serving team can drive the ball at your feet, leaving you stuck reacting instead of attacking. Meanwhile, your partner is left vulnerable at the kitchen with no backup while the servers crash forward.
Pickleball rewards the team that controls the kitchen. If you’re not there, you’re not in control.
The Return Strategy That Changes Everything
Tennis players especially love to drive their returns. I know, because I’m a recovering tennis player myself—and I used to drive everything.
Driving the return feels powerful, but it steals the time you need to move in. A hard return almost always brings a hard ball right back at you. You can get caught in no man's land very easily.
It behooves you to lift the ball higher. Buy time.
Make the kitchen line the priority—not the speed of the return. The players who move in right away win more points, control more rallies, and stop getting punished in mid-court.
If you fix just this one habit, you’ll improve instantly.
Stop hanging back.
Take the kitchen.
Own the point.
Let's go!
About the Author: Gina Cilento is a top 10 Senior Pro and multi-APP medalist who splits her time between competing and coaching. She’s the co-founder of The Pickleball Lab, a pod player for the Denver Iconics in the National Pickleball League, and co-host of Keeping It Real with Gina & Neil. Off the court, Gina shares her passion through her apparel line, The Pick, and her work with Empower Pickleball.
