Catherine Parenteau is quickly becoming my favorite pro for pickleball tips.

Her YouTube channel features lessons on everything from basics like third shot drops to complex serve-strengthening drills. 

The Canadian star's latest pro-level tip teaches players how to hit the perfect return.

According to Parenteau, a good return can set yourself up for major success in a point. And if my returns can potentially look anything like hers, I’m taking notes.

“I think a lot of people overlook returns. If you mishit a return, you’re on defense right off the bat,” explained Parenteau. “But if you hit a strong return, it’s a lot harder for your opponents who are stuck or on the baseline to come forward.”

First off, let’s look at where to stand to hit a perfect return. 

Parenteau recommended that if your opponent has a strong serve, stand further back from the baseline, about one to two feet away. However, if your opponent has a shorter or weaker serve, stand closer to the baseline. 

Next, return with your stronger shot. 

“I’m going to make sure that the first shot I hit is going to be my strength, so I’m hitting a forehand,” recommended Parenteau.

But if your strength is a backhand, return with a backhand. Play to your strengths. 

You should also position yourself to favor your strong side. 

Parenteau advised that as soon as your opponent hits the ball, you do a split step, pivot your feet, turn sideways to hit the ball, and follow through. Then, you know what to do – run to the kitchen line. 

However, she cautioned against hitting your return while running forward to get to the kitchen line. 

“A lot of players try to run and hit the ball,” said Parenteau. “That makes it very challenging for your return to be good. You might start mishitting the ball.” 

With respect to pickleball gameplay in general, she added that “it’s very hard to have clean hits when you’re moving.”

So, stop to hit the ball, then move forward. To give yourself more time to get to the kitchen, hit your return deep. 

Now, where should you hit your return?

“The number one goal is to hit it as deep as possible. You want to make your opponent's third shot difficult,” explained Parenteau. “If you can, notice your opponent’s weaknesses. If they struggle with your backhand, hit more towards their backhand.”

And how high should you hit your return?

“If you need more time to get up to the kitchen line, hit a higher return, but you’re looking for depth too,” shared Parenteau. Don’t just go for a lob every time.

Parenteau mentioned that the best return in high-level pickleball is a return with lower height because it’s more difficult for your opponent to counter. Since the ball is so low, they have to return high. 

With that in mind, position yourself based on your strength, and return strategically to give yourself enough time to get to the kitchen line.

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