The Evolution of Pickleball Singles: Passing Shots vs Drop Volleys

Pickleball is changing as always. With new paddle technology dropping regularly, more athletes crossing over from tennis, squash, badminton, and table tennis, and a growing field of serious competitors, the game keeps changing—especially at the elite level.

Drop volleys force opponents to sprint forwards, making them scramble and often miss the ball.

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The Rise of Strategic Singles

While doubles is still the go-to format for most rec play, singles is going through its own transformation. It’s no longer just a side event or fitness test. Singles has grown far more complex than it gets credit for. While it’s often dismissed as less strategic than doubles, that gap is narrowing quickly.

If you rewind to singles matches from 2023 and earlier, a clear style stands out. Players leaned on drop shots and dinking—a method often called "Cat and Mouse." One player would move the other around the court using soft angles, smart placement, and precise footwork. It was all about patience and control.

But then 2024 happened.

This year brought a big shift toward aggressive play. More players are embracing a tennis-like style. Instead of rushing the net after a return, they’re staying back at the baseline, driving the ball hard, and looking for a chance to rip a passing shot. Even the third shot—once known for its lofty arc—is now often used as a potential winner.

This approach has worked well for players like Quang Duong, Hunter Johnson, and Zane Ford. Their style shows just how important the serve and return have become. What used to be setup shots are now key to ending points.

But here’s the twist: to push back against the power game, some players are choosing to close in on the net—putting pressure on their opponent to come up with a perfect passing shot.

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The Drop Volley Shift

While I was at the PPA Challenger in Baton Rouge, I kept hearing players talk about drop volleys in singles. It wasn’t just talk—plenty of them were using it in matches. These drop volleys forced opponents to sprint forward, often leading to balls they couldn’t reach in time—resulting in easy winners—or, if they did get there, the ball usually popped up and was smashed away.

At the PPA Veolia North Carolina Open, Noe Khlif used this exact strategy against Hunter Johnson. He kept hitting drop volleys that threw Johnson off his rhythm, pulled him out of position, and disrupted his baseline game.

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Blending Power and Finesse

Instead of punching volleys deep and giving their opponent another ball to drive, players are now using soft hands to drop the ball into the kitchen. It’s a smart move in a game that’s speeding up. If the first volley isn’t a drop, the second one usually is. It draws the opponent forward, where quick hands and touch can decide the point.

The best singles players, like Federico Staksrud, blend both parts of the game—mixing dinks and drops with big serves and passing shots. 

So now, we’re in the middle of something new. In a way, singles has come full circle. The game started with drops and resets because paddles weren’t powerful enough for drive after drive. Then tech improved, and the game shifted to a baseline battle. And now? We’re seeing a mix.

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