We all want to play as well as Gabe Tardio.

The 19-year-old is ranked No. 5 in men’s doubles, No. 7 in mixed doubles and No. 12 in men's singles after winning his second-ever gold medal in the discipline at the Veolia North Carolina Open.

The Bolivia native's highlight reel is simply outstanding, showcasing a unique game style that appears laid back and relaxed. But, don’t be fooled by his casual demeanor. Tardio boasts one of the most lethal shots in pickleball in his arsenal: the backhand counter. 

So when he recently shared his secrets on YouTube with the Pickleball Playbook, we paid attention and took notes.

Tardio began by addressing proper grip.

He starts in continental, then he twists his wrist slightly so that when he counters, the ball is angled down towards his opponent’s feet. 

“When I’m getting ready to hit a counter, my ready position is always a little lower than what it normally should be, especially when I see them attacking. My paddle is lower, so that when I move back up, my paddle face is already facing down,” explained Tardio.

“Another thing I do when I’m getting ready to hit a counter is that I’m getting low. The most important thing is that I have my shoulders tilted forward. This enables me to cover not only backhand, but forehand quickly. This helps you not to get caught in the chicken wing position. You don’t want your arm too close to your body. If your opponent hits to your forehand, you’re going to get stuck, so tucking your shoulders enables you to cover both sides,” he added. 

The youngster recommended doing wall drills to help you get used to the feeling of punching the ball forward instead of swinging and using your whole body to return.

If you want to get faster hands in pickleball, wall drills sharpen your speed-ups and anticipation.

“Make sure your paddle is in front of you and that you’re not swinging all the way back to counter,” emphasized Tardio. “You want to be compact and right in front of you.”

With that position, you’re ready to return and take an offensive approach on the court with your counters.

Keep doing that and you’ll have some pretty dangerous backhand counters too.  

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