Do You Purposely Try To Tag Your Opponents in Pickleball?


I'm not asking if you try to hit winners.  We all do that. That's the purpose of the game.

And I'm not asking if you have occasionally hit one of your opponents accidentally.  That is bound to happen if you play long enough.

And I'm not asking if you target and hit their feet.  That is a good pickleball strategy.

No, I'm asking if you have purposely targeted and hit your opponent's body?

If you saw the PPA Tour's Men's Doubles Final from Las Vegas a couple of weeks ago, that's exactly what happened multiple times. 

One player from one team tagged his opponents' bodies 10 times during the match.

10 times!!

6 times to one opponent and 4 times to the other. 

One "tag" was to the opponent's neck!  

I understand that tactic may be legal, but I don't like it at all.

It is not always easy to move and get out of the way of a hard hit pickleball shot. 

And I understand it happens occasionally.

But I expect that to be accidental.  In fact, even the pros usually hold a hand up as if to say, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it," if it occurs.

There was no "I'm sorry" gesture for purposeful tagging in that match. 

I understand shots coming hard at my feet.  I do the same to my opponents.

But, I don't want to be purposely hit multiple times.

And I would never purposely hit an opponent's body or neck. 

Would you?

And there is no way that 10 times could ever be accidental among the pros who can paint lines like an artist and seriously control where their shots land.

Is that the way the game should be played?

I personally don't think so.  And I sure hope that match was a major exception and does not become the norm.

What are your thoughts?


Ben Holt
​CEO, Pickleball Living