Tanner Tomassi’s Pickleball Secrets: Professional pickleball player Tanner Tomassi shared a YouTube video titled 7 Pickleball Tips I Wish I Learned Sooner… (Boost Your Game Fast!) to help players refine their skills. The video, posted on his official channel, breaks down strategies that can significantly improve gameplay. Tomassi, who has been competing professionally for over a year, highlights key techniques that have transformed his own approach.
The Importance of Strategic Reset Shots
One of Tomassi’s biggest takeaways is how to execute reset shots properly. He explains that instead of hitting resets straight ahead, players should aim crosscourt.
“When you reset straight ahead, this person is leaning in—you don’t have much room to work with,”. “If you’re crosscourt, now look at how much room you have. There’s like an extra two feet.”(Tanner Tomassi)
This small adjustment can make resets more effective by increasing the margin for error and taking advantage of the lower net height in the middle.
Handling Aggressive Dinks with Proper Footwork
Tomassi also addresses a common mistake when responding to aggressive dinks. Many players instinctively drop their paddle head, resulting in weak returns.
“The trick is, right when you see that aggressive ball coming to you, instead of dropping the paddle, I actually want you to keep your paddle completely sideways and try to take it back crosscourt like this—almost like you’re nudging the ball,” (Tanner Tomassi).
Additionally, he emphasizes the importance of cutting off the ball with quick footwork.
“If somebody hits a sharp dink out wide, it’s going to be traveling quickly. The key is you see them hit a sharp dink, you cut it off immediately.”(Tanner Tomassi)
Defending Overhead Smashes with Smart Positioning
When facing an overhead smash, Tomassi suggests backing up quickly to improve defensive positioning.
“The key to the timing is right when the ball pops off your paddle and you see the opponent going to smash it, you want to take as much ground back as possible right before they make contact,” (Tanner Tomassi).
Players should avoid moving backward while the ball is being hit. Instead, they should get into a low ready position before the opponent strikes.
Perfecting Reactions to Fast Drives
Tomassi highlights a common error players make when returning fast drives. Many position their paddle too close to their body, which leads to mistimed returns.
“When somebody’s hitting the ball hard at you, your paddle is probably here—too close to your body. As that ball is coming in, you’re reaching for it, and in this time frame, that is where the error happens,” (Tanner Tomassi).
To avoid mistakes, players should extend their paddle out in front before the shot arrives.
“If you’re nervous or somebody drives the ball hard, already be all the way out—you’ll never miss short again.”(Tanner Tomassi)
Choosing Between a Drop or Drive Shot
Tomassi provides clear guidelines on when to hit a third-shot drive versus a drop.
Drive the ball when the opponent’s return is deep and forces the player onto their back foot or if the return is short and bounces high.
Drop the ball when the opponent’s return is mediocre, landing near the baseline without much speed or spin, or if the return is shallow and stays low.
Mastering Fast Hands in Hands Battles
According to Tomassi, the secret to winning fast exchanges is not aiming for an opponent’s chest but rather hitting the ball low.
“The way you win a hands battle is to hit the ball down to your opponent’s knees so they’re forced to hit up on the next ball, giving you an easy smash,” (Tanner Tomassi).
His key tip is to keep the wrist cocked and snap at the ball rather than pushing it. This generates a downward trajectory, making the return more difficult for the opponent.
The Purpose of Crosscourt Dinking
Many amateur players dink crosscourt without a clear goal, but Tomassi stresses that every dink should be strategic.
“The entire purpose of dinking is to get a popup that you can attack,”.
Once a strong dink is executed, players should take a step forward to apply pressure.
“Instead of standing here and watching it, you want to hit that dink and reach in—shrinking the kitchen, making your opponent feel your presence.”
Growing Pickleball Knowledge with Expert Insights
Tomassi’s video provides a detailed breakdown of game-changing techniques that can benefit players at all levels. By making small adjustments in resets, dinks, defensive positioning, and shot selection, players can improve their performance significantly.
His YouTube channel continues to offer valuable content for pickleball enthusiasts.
“I post a video just like this every single week,”.
News in Brief: Tanner Tomassi’s Pickleball Secrets
Pro pickleball player Tanner Tomassi shares game-changing strategies in his YouTube video 7 Pickleball Tips I Wish I Learned Sooner. He breaks down key techniques, including crosscourt reset shots, aggressive dink footwork, defending overhead smashes, and winning fast exchanges. Tomassi emphasizes smart shot selection, better positioning, and strategic dinking. His insights help players refine their skills and elevate their game quickly, with new content posted weekly for ongoing improvement.
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