How to Do the Backhand Roll in Pickleball: Pro Tips to Improve Your Shot and Anticipation

Main Points:

• The backhand roll is most effective when hit out of the air during kitchen rallies.
• Grip adjustment (from Eastern to Continental or hybrid) can improve control on backhand rolls.
• The shot works best when opponents are off-balance or hitting defensive dinks.
• Focus on early recognition of attackable balls—especially floaty backspin dinks.
• Use more shoulder and less wrist to reduce errors; exaggerated upward brushing motion is key.
• Contact the ball low and in front of your body with proper footwork and balance.
• Placement matters more than surprise—vary targets (dominant hip, crosscourt, etc.) to reduce predictability.
• Stay relaxed and ready after the shot—expect counters, don’t assume it’s a winner.
• Avoid overreaching or rushing; maintain wide stance and balance.
• Practice via live dinking drills or solo wall sessions—don’t overdo it in one go to prevent fatigue.

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Summary:

This video offers an in-depth look at how to develop a powerful and consistent backhand roll in pickleball, a shot that can be a real asset when executed correctly. It begins with Sammy Lee, a high-level player with a 6.1 DUPR, helping a partner refine their backhand roll by analyzing grip, timing, and shot mechanics. A key takeaway is that this shot is best used when taken out of the air, particularly against floaty backspin dinks during dinking exchanges. It’s less about surprise and more about precision and anticipation.

One of the biggest challenges addressed is the tendency to overuse the wrist or expect the backhand roll to end the point. Instead, the video emphasizes using shoulder-driven upward motion, starting well beneath the ball to generate topspin. Proper grip—ideally shifting from an Eastern forehand to something closer to Continental—can make this easier. The instructor recommends aiming for awkward zones on the opponent’s body, especially around their dominant shoulder or hip, while remaining balanced and ready for the inevitable counter.

Throughout the session, positioning and footwork are heavily stressed. Players often miss these shots not because of technique flaws, but because they’re off balance or out of position. Practicing this shot should focus on being relaxed, staying in a low, athletic stance, and keeping the head still to maintain sharp vision. Finally, the video ends with two recommended practice drills: live dinking into speed-up situations and solo wall drills using a self-fed ball. Practicing smart and gradually, rather than overdoing it, is crucial for improving this advanced pickleball skill.

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Tags: Backhand | Backhand Roll | Drill | Pickleball Studio