In doubles, the hardest hitter rarely wins. The team that gets to the kitchen line first, and moves there as a pair, usually does. These eight habits come from USA Pickleball’s own coaching guides, and none of them require a new paddle.
The short version
- Serve and return deep. Depth buys your team time.
- Get both players to the kitchen line as soon as the two-bounce rule allows, and move up together.
- On the serving team, stay back for the return, then use a soft third shot to earn your way forward.
- Don’t stop in the middle of the court, where balls land at your feet.
- At the line, dink crosscourt, stay patient, and when in doubt, hit the middle.
Why doubles is a race to the kitchen line
USA Pickleball calls the non-volley zone line, the line at the back edge of the kitchen, the strongest position in the game. From there you can take balls out of the air, hit down on anything that floats, and keep your opponents pinned deep. (Just remember you can’t volley while touching the kitchen, and the line counts. Our kitchen rules guide covers the details.)
The two-bounce rule decides who gets there first. The serve has to bounce before it’s returned, and the return has to bounce before the serving team hits it. That gives the receiving team a head start to the line, while the serving team has to earn its way forward. Almost everything below follows from that.
1. Serve deep, not hard
A deep serve pushes the returner back and makes a deep, attacking return harder to hit. Aim for depth first, and the returner’s weaker side (usually the backhand) second. Leave yourself some margin: each server gets only one attempt, so a serve that misses costs your team a turn.
2. Return deep, then walk up
On the receiving team, only the player returning serve starts at the baseline. Their partner should already be standing at the kitchen line. A deep return with some height on it buys the returner time to move forward and join them before the third shot comes back.
When you can, send the return down the middle or to the weaker player. Depth matters more than pace.
3. On the serving team, stay back, then earn your way in
The serving team can’t volley the return, so both players wait near the baseline until it bounces. The third shot is the bridge: a soft drop that lands in your opponents’ kitchen forces them to hit up, which gives you time to move forward.
You don’t have to sprint in behind every third shot. USA Pickleball’s positioning guide describes advancing either aggressively after your third shot or more methodically after a strong one. If your drop floats high, stay balanced and move up on a ball that gives you time.
For the drop itself, USA Pickleball’s cues are simple: a semi-open stance, the paddle kept out in front, and a loose grip, about a three on a scale of one to ten.
4. Don’t set up camp in the transition zone
The stretch between the baseline and the kitchen line is for passing through. Stop there and your opponents can hit hard, downward shots at your feet, which are some of the toughest balls to handle. Move through it in controlled steps, and split step (a small, balanced hop) just before an opponent hits so you’re ready to go either way.
5. Move with your partner, like you’re sharing a leash
USA Pickleball suggests keeping about 6 to 8 feet between partners. When one of you shifts toward the ball, the other shifts too, so no gap opens down the middle. Face the player who’s hitting, not the net, and hold your paddle up near your chest so you’re ready for a fast one.
If your partner gets pulled wide, slide toward the middle to cover the gap instead of crowding their side.
6. At the line, dink crosscourt and be patient
Once all four players reach the line, rallies slow down into dinks: soft shots that land in the kitchen. Crosscourt dinks give you the most room for error. They cross the middle of the net, which is 34 inches high compared with 36 inches at the sidelines, and they have a longer diagonal to land in. They also pull your opponent wide.
Mix in a dink to the middle or straight ahead now and then so you don’t become predictable. And don’t force a put-away off a low ball. Wait for one that clearly sits up.
7. When in doubt, hit the middle
“Down the middle solves the riddle” is a coaching cliché for a reason. A ball between your opponents takes away their sharp angles, often lands on someone’s backhand, and makes them decide who takes it. When they hesitate, you tend to get an easier next ball.
8. Play to your strengths, then commit
Notice which opponent has the weaker backhand, the slower feet or the shakier third shot, and send the ball there. Lean on what your team does well. Then commit. Rally decisions happen in a fraction of a second, and a half-hearted swing is how easy balls end up in the net. A quick “mine” or “yours” settles the middle ball before it turns into a paddle clash.
Your plan for the next open play
- Serve deep with margin. Return deep with height.
- Returner: follow your return up to the kitchen line.
- Serving team: stay back for the return, then drop and move up.
- Walk through the transition zone. Don’t stop in it.
- Stay 6 to 8 feet from your partner and move together.
- At the line: crosscourt dinks, patience, and the middle when unsure.
Still sorting out the basics? Start with the most common beginner mistakes and how pickleball scoring works. The dog waiting by the fence can’t help with any of this, but they’re excellent at celebrating afterward.
Sources
- USA Pickleball, Top 7 Pickleball Doubles Strategy Tips to Win More Games (September 2025)
- USA Pickleball, Pickleball Basics: Positioning, Patience, and Kitchen Line Strategy (September 2025)
- USA Pickleball, Basics of the Third Shot Drop
- USA Pickleball, Top Tips for New Pickleball Players (October 2025)
- USA Pickleball, 2026 Official Rulebook (Rules 3.B.6–3.B.7, net height; Rule 10.A, two-bounce rule)
