Court Coverage 101: How To Stop Getting Burned By Lobs And Angles
There’s nothing more frustrating than holding your own at the kitchen line—only to get burned by a perfect lob or a sneaky angle you didn’t see coming. It’s a common pain point for players at all levels. But the good news? With smarter court positioning, better anticipation, and sharper communication, you can turn these defensive weaknesses into strengths.
In this guide, we break down how to read the court, move as a team, and stay one step ahead of your opponent’s next tricky shot.
Source: The Dink Pickleball
Why You’re Getting Burned In The First Place
Let’s be honest: lobs and angles aren’t always about flashy offense—they often work because the defense is out of position. A deep lob over your head or a sharply angled dink can expose poor spacing, slow reactions, or hesitation between partners.
In doubles especially, a single step too far left or right can create gaps your opponents are trained to exploit. If you’re constantly chasing balls instead of controlling play, your court coverage needs a reset.
The Foundation: Neutral Court Positioning
The first rule of solid coverage is knowing where to be when the point resets. That means:
Staying centered relative to the ball
Keeping your paddle up and ready
Maintaining equal distance between partners when possible
At the kitchen line, avoid crowding the middle or drifting too wide. Think of your team as moving together on a string—always connected, never stretched too thin.
When pulled wide, your partner should shift to cover the center. When you see an opponent prepping for a lob, don’t ball-watch—prepare to drop back.
Reading The Lob: Anticipation Beats Reaction
Reacting to a lob is hard. Anticipating one makes it easy.
Here are a few signs your opponent might be going for the lob:
They lean back slightly on the dink
Their paddle opens up under the ball
They look upward right before contact
Once you start recognizing these cues, you can split-step, shift your weight back, and beat the ball to the baseline instead of scrambling under it.
When you're pulled back, trust your partner to hold the kitchen and look to reset the point with a deep return or a controlled drop shot.
Handling Angles: Close The Gaps
Sharp angles—especially off dinks or short volleys—are most dangerous when you and your partner aren’t aligned.
A few key tips to defend angles more effectively:
Stay low and balanced when dinking
Avoid overreaching—let balls go wide if you’re pulled out of position
Use your peripheral vision to sense where your partner is
Communicate constantly—simple cues like “yours” or “switch” go a long way
If you’re both charging forward without awareness, your opponents will punish you with short-angle winners all day. Instead, move as a unit and always leave room for recovery.
Drill It Into Your Game
All the strategy in the world won’t help if it stays theoretical. Practice is where coverage instincts are built.
Here are a few easy ways to train court coverage:
Lob recovery drills: One player lobs, the other practices drop shots or overheads
Angle defense drills: Opponent dinks cross-court; you focus on footwork and blocking angles
Two-on-one drills: Help you learn to anticipate and cover more space under pressure
The more you expose yourself to these patterns in a controlled setting, the less panicked you’ll feel when they show up in a real match.
Final Thoughts: Control The Court, Control The Game
Great court coverage isn’t about being the fastest or having the most power. It’s about awareness, anticipation, and working in sync with your partner.
By positioning yourself smartly, reading your opponents' intentions, and closing down space as a team, you’ll stop getting burned by lobs and angles—and start flipping those points in your favor.
Because in pickleball, court control isn’t just a defensive tool—it’s the foundation of your entire game.
