Improve
How to Hit Deeper Returns in Pickleball
Updated September 22, 2026
A deeper return can buy you more time to reach the non-volley zone and can make the serving team's third shot more difficult. For an improving player, the priority is depth with margin — not trying to paint the baseline on every return.
Depth without donating points
“Deep” should not mean “as close to the baseline as physically possible.” A return that lands several feet inside the baseline can still create time and push the serving team backward. Missing long gives the point away immediately, so an improving player should build a comfortable target before chasing maximum depth.
The 20-return depth drill
- Mark a large target zone in the back third of the service court.
- Have a partner serve or feed realistic balls.
- Hit 20 returns using the same basic return you trust in matches.
- Record three numbers: in, deep target, and long/out.
- Repeat on another day under similar conditions.
A useful starting score might look like 18/20 in, 12/20 deep, 2/20 out. The exact number is not a rating standard. We use it only to make your own progress visible.
What to change first
| Problem | First adjustment to test |
|---|---|
| Too many returns long | Give yourself more vertical and baseline margin before adding pace. |
| Returns consistently short | Use a fuller, more committed swing through the ball rather than guiding it. |
| Good depth but late to the kitchen | Recover immediately after contact instead of watching the return. |
| Depth disappears under pressure | Use a larger target zone and prioritize “in + useful depth” over a perfect return. |
Depth is only one part of the return
A return also needs enough reliability for you to move forward. If your attempt to hit deep causes a large increase in errors, the tradeoff is poor. At this stage, the better question is: can you keep a high percentage of returns in while gradually moving the average landing point deeper?
What to measure next session
- 20 total returns.
- Percentage landing in.
- Percentage landing in your deep target zone.
- Number missed long.
- How often you reached the kitchen under control after the return.