Tanner Tomassi Pickleball Advise: Pickleball tournaments can be tough, especially for new players. Content creator Tanner Tomassi shared several strategies designed to help players stay calm and perform better, no matter their skill level. His advice covers serving, positioning, and mindset during matches.
Focus on Safer Third Shots
Tanner Tomassi advised starting matches with controlled third shot drives at about 70% power.
“You’re going to be nervous going into this tournament, so start out by hitting your third shots as third shot drives at 70% power. This takes the pressure off of you and puts it onto your opponent who’s also going to be nervous,” explained Tomassi. “If you try and hit a third shot drop while you’re nervous, you’re going to be shaky and hit it sky high or into the net. I’m also trying to apply a little spin so that the ball dips over the net and my opponent is forced to volley up.”
He suggested aiming these shots down the middle. “The best spot to aim it is down the middle, more toward the person who’s running up.” He added that many amateurs make the mistake of hitting the ball straight at an opponent, which reduces their chance of causing confusion.
Attack in the Right Way
Tomassi stressed the importance of choosing the right balls to attack.
“Only look for speed ups out of the air. It’s such a higher percentage for you to win points. The issue 4.0 players fall into is after two or three dinks they get nervous and tight, and they bail themselves out by hitting a crappy speed up off the bounce and lose the point,” said Tomassi. “You have to get comfortable with that discomfort. Let your opponent pull a stupid shot and you be cool, calm, collected, and attack only out of the air.”
Respecting the Court’s Shape
Tomassi also discussed “Respect the X,” a strategy about diagonal play.
“Respect the X” means to play at a diagonal, so if you’re playing in a dink rally and you hit a diagonal shot, you and your opponent should step over to cover the likely diagonal return, and your partner can cover the line.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s my forehand or backhand. We want to stay true to this strategy when we’re at the kitchen line because the ball comes so fast, we don’t want to have a gray area of who should take what ball,” Tomassi explained.
Smarter Position at the Kitchen Line
Tomassi suggested players should adjust their spot at the kitchen line depending on the quality of their shot.
“If I’m at the kitchen line and hit a dead dink, but I stay on the kitchen line, my opponent can attack it, but then it’s too hard for me to know where it’s coming. That tiny adjustment by stepping two feet back makes such a difference on you being unattackable and attackable,” insisted Tomassi.
Consistency on Third Shot Drops
According to Tomassi, a common mistake is moving too far forward after serving.
“After you hit your serve, you do not want to creep into the court. This is extremely common at 3.5 and 4.0 level play,” said Tomassi.
He explained that stepping into the court too early makes it harder to handle deep returns. “You never want to hit a third shot drop off your back foot, so after your partner serves, make sure you stay back, so you can hit your third shot drop and let that momentum carry you into the court,” he mentioned.
Keep Calm and Avoid Errors
Tomassi ended his advice with a reminder about mental control.
“Don’t beat yourself. Your opponents are going to be nervous, so don’t bail them out. Have the mindset to ‘Make them beat us.’ You don’t miss a ball trying to be a highlight reel. If you play consistently, I promise you at any level you will do good, or even win,” he concluded.
Why This Matters
Tournaments often create pressure, and mistakes come quickly. Tanner Tomassi’s advice focuses on reducing errors, managing nerves, and playing smarter. His strategies give both beginners and experienced players a clear plan for competing with confidence.
News in Brief: Tanner Tomassi Pickleball Advice
Content creator Tanner Tomassi shared key tips for pickleball tournaments. He advised players to focus on safe third shots, attack only balls out of the air, respect diagonal positioning, adjust at the kitchen line, and stay consistent. His main message: avoid risky plays, stay calm, and make opponents earn their points.
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