Be a Tiger, Not a Cheetah: The Art of Speed Control

One of the earliest lessons most pickleball players learn is simple: Get to the non-volley zone as fast as you can. While that advice isn’t wrong, it’s incomplete—and for many players it becomes a ceiling rather than a foundation. Winning points at higher levels isn’t about how fast you move, it’s about how well you control your speed.

On the pickleball court, cheetahs chase; tigers stalk. And if you want better shot selection, cleaner contact and more controlled points, it’s time to channel your inner tiger.

Why Slowing Down Actually Speeds Up Your Game

One of the main areas where speed can make or break you is during the transition from the baseline to the non-volley zone. When you move too fast through this phase, your brain can’t keep up with your body. You lose the ability to read the court, recognize patterns, and prepare for the right shot.

This is where players must adopt an accelerate/decelerate mindset. Accelerate through your shot, then decelerate between shots to allow yourself time to adjust and read what is happening on the other side of the net.

Controlled movement gives you:

• Better visual processing

• More time to read your opponent

• Stronger positioning for contact in front of your body

• The ability to transfer weight through the ball

Smart shots are hit in front of you. That simply can’t happen while you’re rushing through space. Speed control allows you to arrive balanced, prepared, and ready to execute—whether you’re attacking or defending.

Transitioning as the Serving Team: Stalk, Don’t Sprint

As the serving team, your job isn’t to race to the non-volley zone. It’s to create an attackable ball. Think of this phase like a tiger stalking prey in the jungle. You’re moving forward with purpose, eyes up, reading everything. You’re waiting for the moment to pounce.

When players rush this phase:

• They overrun attack balls.

• They fail to recognize pop-ups early.

• They move into danger instead of advantage.

Moving too quickly forward can also put you directly in front of a cannon. If your opponents are loading up for a counter, speed without awareness turns into vulnerability.

A tiger doesn’t chase blindly. It slows, watches, and explodes only when the opportunity is clear.

That controlled movement allows you to:

See where the ball is going.

Set up with your weight moving forward.

Strike the ball at an optimal contact point—one that is high enough to be offensive, not a ball sitting at your shoelaces.

This applies whether you’re preparing for offense or setting up for defense. Slowing down and creating space in front of you is the prime objective.

Transitioning Off the Return: Close the Drawer Softly

Speed control is just as important when you’re returning serve. Yes, you want to move forward briskly after the return—but the final 2½ to 3 feet of your transition should feel like a soft-close kitchen drawer, not a slam. This subtle deceleration is critical.

Slowing down at the end of your approach allows you to read the third shot more clearly, maintain multiple shot options (such as taking the ball off the bounce or loading forward into a swinging volley) and avoid getting jammed up or forced to back up.

From this controlled position, you now have choices. If the third shot floats, you may take it out of the air with a swinging volley or load your weight through the ball and counterattack a drive. If the ball is dropping but still attackable, you can let it bounce, tee it up in front of you, and hit an offensive roll without retreating. And sometimes, if the ball is clearly attackable early, you’ll keep moving and take it out of the air right at the non-volley line—just like giving that soft-close drawer a gentle final push.

The key is that you choose, rather than being rushed into a reaction.

Deciding Your Speed Comes Down to Reading Your Opponent

A much-overlooked skill in the transition zone is opponent awareness. You must watch your opponents as they prepare to strike the ball. Their paddle preparation tells a story—if you’re moving slowly enough to read it.

Here’s what to look for:

Paddle below net height

This often signals a potential pop-up. As the serving team, this is where the tiger wakes up. But remember—tigers don’t sprint early. You slow down, wait to see where the ball arrives, then explode decisively to attack the fifth shot.

Paddle at or just above net height

This usually indicates a block or roll coming back toward your feet. This is your cue to slow your feet, stay balanced, and prepare for defense or a neutralizing shot like a drop or offensive reset.

Paddle above the shoulder

Now the story is clear. The ball is coming down. If you’ve already moved forward, you may need to stop—or even step back—to brace for defense.

Each of these scenarios demands a different response, and you can only make the right one if your body isn’t outrunning your eyes.

Smart Movement Wins More Than Fast Movement

Getting to the line fast might work early in your pickleball journey, but getting to the line smart is what wins points long term. Speed without control limits your options. Speed with awareness expands them.

By slowing your body just enough to see what’s unfolding, you give yourself the reaction time to either defend calmly or attack explosively. That balance—between patience and power—is where great pickleball lives.

So, the next time you’re in transition, remember: Don’t race like a cheetah. Stalk like a tiger. Then pounce when the moment is right. •

Want to see this speed control in action?

To watch the companion videos and on-court demos, visit suzeeandersonacademy.com/speedcontrol.

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Suzee Anderson

PPR Coach Developer

Suzee Anderson Pickleball

PPR Education Department

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