Respect the X to protect the middle. Simple formula you can use to ensure you do not get beat down the middle.

The middle of a pickleball court is not where you want to get beat. The second place you don’t want to get beat on is down the line. Why? Because it’s just bigger.

A lot of times when we’re playing out there, we’re looking at our partner going, ‘Who was supposed to get this shot here?’

Players look at each other or they reach out there with their paddle in a way that doesn’t make sense and then missing the shot or popping it up.

I’ll show you the ‘X’ and then we’ll go into the more advanced concept about how to cover that particular shot. Generally speaking, the X connects the players on the opposite sides.

It’s the principle that you can apply all the time. You don’t need to do things like forehand in the middle. Forehand in the middle, sometimes gets you the right answer, oftentimes does not because the player with the forehand is either reaching, sometimes the player’s backhand is better.

0:00 Introduction to the middle pickleball court attack
1:25 The Respect the X Pickleball Strategy – Explained
4:10 The Middle Attack Set Up
5:00 Covering angles on a pickleball court
6:00 Prioritizing court coverage on a pickleball doubles team
6:47 Providing double coverage on the middle attack
7:11 Collapsed X for Respect the X
7:54 Which player is responsible for which shot
10:08 How pro pickleball players use this technique
10:35 A breaking the X exception from the pop up
11:20 Avoid reaching away with your paddle by respecting the X

Now, you can break the X. There are times to break the X. And if you want to know more about that, here’s a video up you can check out; Respect the “X” – the Playlist