Stop Hitting Shallow Returns: Get Under the Ball, Elongate the Stroke, and Follow Through for Depth

Summary

Pickleball Daily shows why a short or shallow return of serve hands your opponents an easy advantage before the rally has really started.

When the return lands short, the server can move into the court, keep their momentum forward, and arrive at the kitchen line before you even hit your third shot. One opponent is already at the net; a shallow return lets the second one join them. The team that controls the kitchen has more court to hit into than the team stuck at the baseline.

The fix on the return: get underneath the ball, elongate your stroke, and follow through with enough height and clearance over the net. That clearance is what gives you depth and keeps them back.

Key takeaways

• A shallow return lets the server walk in and reach the kitchen before you hit your third — now both opponents are at the net
• The team that controls the kitchen has the advantage: more court to hit into against a player stuck at the baseline
• For depth, get underneath the ball, elongate the stroke, and follow through with height; clearance over the net produces depth

Action items

• On your next 15 returns, cue “under, elongate, follow through” and notice whether the ball lands deeper
• If a return lands short, watch whether the server beats you to the line — that’s the consequence this clip is warning about