Quang Duong Pickleball Strategy Debate: Quang Duong, a former player on the Carvana Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) and Major League Pickleball (MLP) circuits, has gained attention for using tennis techniques in pickleball. Though recently dropped from both tours, his hard-hitting style, heavy spin, and creative use of tennis grips continue to make waves in the sport.
A Unique Playing Style
Quang Duong became known for turning his tennis skills into a pickleball advantage. He uses a semi-western grip for his forehand, just like in tennis. His backhand is two-handed, which is rare in pickleball. The grip for his forehand allows him to add powerful top spin to his shots.
“So guys, Guang Ying holds his forehand grip in a semi-western or western grip,” said the video creator. “So, Wong Yun said, ‘No, I’m not doing that. I’m going to be holding it in a semi-western grip.’”
On the backhand side, Quang Duong keeps it simple. “He just uses a two-hander. So what he does is he has a continental with his right hand… and then with his left hand, he sort of just has it on the back of the paddle like this.”
Adding Spin and Speed
The spin Quang Duong creates with his grip style makes the ball dip sharply, especially on forehand drives. This lets him aim shots at his opponent’s feet and move forward quickly. However, the creator warns that not everyone should copy his grip.
“I think 99% of players should not have this grip… but you need to be comfortable with it,” the creator explained. “If you’re not comfortable with this grip, don’t force it.”
He gets even more spin on his two-handed backhand by brushing up on the ball with a full stroke, making it similar to tennis star Novak Djokovic’s backhand.
Sharp Drops and Topspin Attacks
When Quang Duong hits drop shots, he often uses topspin instead of the usual slice. “He also misses a lot of drops because of this. But when he makes in, it’s really easy for him to move forward because it’s so aggressive,” the host explained.
Quang Duong rarely slices unless he’s out of position. His topspin drops fall fast, making it hard for opponents to respond.
“You don’t need to be using his crazy technique, though,” the creator added. “You can go for topspin drops with your eastern grip or with your continental grip.”
Bold Moves in the Transition Zone
What sets Quang Duong apart is his willingness to attack in the transition zone—the area between the baseline and kitchen line. While most players hit soft resets to move forward, he takes a different approach.
“But what Guang does is if he’s in this area and he gets anything above the height of his knees, he’s going to attack,” the creator explained. “He’s going to go for something like that… and he just rips it and tries to move in.”
His quick speed helps him follow up on attacks, even from risky spots on the court.
Dinking with Spin and Power
Quang Duong also plays differently at the kitchen line. He prefers hard dinks with topspin, especially from his two-handed backhand. He’s known for hitting the hardest dinks many have seen.
“He uses a really, really exaggerated motion where he kind of like almost does a full stroke but from the kitchen,” the host said. “He hits probably the hardest dinks of any player that I’ve ever seen.”
Though his forehand dinks are softer, they still carry spin. His aggressive dinking style often causes opponents to pop the ball up, giving him a chance to speed up and win the point.
Should You Copy Quang Duong?
While Quang Duong’s style is exciting, it’s not recommended for everyone. His high-risk shots can backfire, especially against top players like Ben Johns.
“When Kuang is playing a player like Ben John’s, he usually loses in doubles because this aggressive style is not really the best way to play yet,” the video’s host noted. “Maybe in 2030 this is going to be how everyone plays. But as for now… Guang is not top 10 in doubles.”
Instead, the creator suggests learning from Quang Duong’s use of spin and power, while keeping a more traditional style like Ben Johns or Gabe Tardio.
“There are some great takeaways that if you add that power and spin to certain aspects of your game, you’re going to play way better,” the creator concluded.