The Tweener isn’t just a showoff shot—it is a legitimate defensive tool when you are beaten by a deep lob. If you can’t run around the ball in time, hitting it between your legs is your last resort to keep the point alive. Warning: This shot requires timing and flexibility. If you mistime it, you risk hitting your own ankles (or worse). Practice this with a soft foam ball first!
When my partner raced back to return a lob, I couldn’t believe what I saw next. In an act that seemed like it came straight from Ringling Bros., he turned his back to the net and made a perfect return from between his legs: it was a pickleball tweener.
WOW.
But he wasn’t showing off. Well, maybe a little. What he was doing was putting the “tweener,” one of the best known pickleball trick shots, on full display.
Drew Pierce is a USA Pickleball Ambassador, PPR certified coach, and tennis crossover who covers beginner tips, paddle releases, and the sport’s growing culture. Read more on his About page or tune into Pickle Rock Radio.