Advanced Pickleball Strategy: The Art of Controlled Aggression

It's time to reframe how to attack in pickleball: think of your it as a combo, not a finish

Sometimes the best attack in pickleball isn't about crushing a winner on the first opportunity.

Pro player Catherine Parenteau breaks down a smarter approach: controlled aggression.

Instead of forcing the issue, she explains how to use your speed-up as a setup for the next ball, building points methodically rather than gambling on one shot.

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Rethink Your Attack Mentality

Most recreational players see a deep dink and think one thing: time to attack. The pressure kicks in immediately. You feel like you have to win the point right now, or you've wasted the opportunity.

But that mindset can actually work against you. When you're locked into "I must win this point," you tense up, rush your shot, and often miss or hit a weak ball that your opponents can punish.

Catherine's reframe is simple but powerful: think of your attack as a combo, not a finish.

Your first speed-up doesn't need to be a thousand miles an hour. It doesn't need to end the point. Instead, it should set you up for a ball you can actually kill on the next shot.

The Setup Shot Advantage

When you hit a speed-up with the goal of setting up your next ball rather than winning immediately, something shifts. You take pressure off yourself. You can focus on placement and pace rather than pure power.

Here's what that looks like in practice:

• Hit your speed-up to a specific location, not just anywhere in the court.
• Use enough pace to be aggressive, but not so much that you lose control.
• Position yourself to capitalize on the response you expect.
• Finish the point with your next shot when your opponents are truly out of position.

This approach is less flashy than a winner on the first ball, but it's far more consistent. You're building the point instead of hoping for a miracle.

Watch for the Bait

Catherine also points out a common mistake: falling for baited dinks. Sometimes your opponent hits a dink that looks higher than usual, tempting you to attack. But if you're not careful about your contact point, you'll end up hitting from too low and sending a weak ball back.

The lesson? Don't just react to what looks like an opportunity. Take a moment to assess the situation. Where are your opponents positioned? Who's in the middle? Are they favoring their backhand or forehand?

A quick mental reset can save you from a bad decision.

Give Yourself Time to Think

One practical tip Catherine shares is to speed up off the bounce rather than out of the air. This sounds counterintuitive, but it actually gives you more time to think about where you're hitting and why.

When you let the ball bounce, you get an extra split second to read your opponents' positioning and choose your target. That small delay can be the difference between a setup shot and a mistake.

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The Bigger Picture

Controlled aggression isn't about playing timidly. It's about being smart with your aggression. You're still attacking. You're still taking pace off the ball. But you're doing it with a plan.

This mindset shift can elevate your game significantly, especially in doubles where positioning and point construction matter as much as raw power. Instead of relying on one spectacular shot, you're building a sequence that puts your opponents in an impossible spot.

That's how pros win points. And now you know how to do it too.