How to Play Against a Lefty in Pickleball

Short answer: How to play against a lefty in pickleball comes down to remembering their forehand and backhand are mirrored from a righty’s, so their backhand sits on the right side of their body and their reach extends to their left. Target that backhand, watch the middle where a lefty-righty team stacks two forehands, and adjust your serves and returns to their weaker wing.

By Jason Regan, USA Pickleball Ambassador

Every pickleball player hits a wall the first time they face a good left-hander. Everything you have trained to do by reflex, the angles you trust, the side you poach to, the serve you lean on, is suddenly flipped. Out here in the New England leagues a strong lefty can win a whole game just because the other side never adjusts. The fix is not complicated, but it does take a little conscious rewiring. Let me walk you through it.

What actually changes when my opponent is left-handed?

The single thing to burn into your memory is that a lefty is a mirror image of a righty. For a right-handed player, the forehand lives on the right side of the body and the backhand on the left. For a lefty, it is reversed: forehand on their left, backhand on their right.

That one fact ripples out into everything:

• Reach: A righty extends farthest to their right for a forehand; a lefty extends farthest to their left. Shots you would normally slide away from their forehand now have to go the opposite direction.
• Spin: Slice and spin that curve one way off a righty’s paddle curve the other way off a lefty’s. The ball may kick in a direction you are not used to.
• Serve placement: The corner that jams a righty’s backhand is the opposite corner against a lefty.

None of this means a lefty is harder to beat. It just means your autopilot is pointed the wrong way, and you have to drive manually for a game or two until it clicks.

How to play against a lefty in pickleball: attack the right wing

Just like most righties, most left-handers have a weaker backhand than forehand. The difference is where that backhand lives. Against a lefty, the backhand is on the right side of their body, so the balls that pressure it are the ones you would normally feed into a righty’s forehand.

Early in a match, test both wings. Hit a couple of balls to each side and watch what comes back. If their backhand floats, pops up, or gets blocked defensively, you have found the target. Then:

• Dink to their backhand corner: In the soft game, keep the ball angled toward the right side of their body and make them reach across for a backhand dink.
• Drive at the right hip: The hip on their backhand side is an awkward spot. A ball driven there forces a late, cramped swing.
• Serve wide to the backhand: On the deuce or ad court, pick the serve placement that pulls them into a backhand return rather than letting them run around it with a forehand.

Think of it as the same strategy you use against anyone, “find the weaker wing and live there,” just pointed at the opposite side of the court.

Where is a lefty strongest, and how do I avoid feeding it?

A lefty’s forehand on the left side is usually their power and their best reach. The mistake I see constantly is a player poaching or angling a ball right into that forehand out of pure habit, because that is where a righty’s backhand would be.

Two habits keep you out of trouble:

• Re-map your angles: Before the point, glance at which hand holds the paddle and consciously flip your usual target. A beat of thought before the serve beats a reflex that is aimed wrong.
• Beware the crosscourt forehand: A lefty’s crosscourt forehand dink or drive can be a real weapon because it pulls you off the court. Respect it, and when in doubt, play the ball back to their backhand instead of trading forehands.

What is the two-forehands-in-the-middle problem?

This is the big one in doubles, and it is why lefties are so valued as partners. When a lefty and a righty play together with the lefty on the left side of the court and the righty on the right, both of their forehands meet in the middle of the court. The middle is where a huge number of balls get hit, and now the opposing team is covering it with two strong forehands instead of a forehand and a backhand.

Against that setup:

• Do not default to the middle: The usual “hit down the middle to cause confusion” advice backfires here, because you are feeding two forehands. Go to the outside corners and the sidelines more than you normally would.
• Find the real seam: With two forehands in the middle, the vulnerable backhands are now on the outer edges of the court. Pull each player wide to their backhand.
• Attack the feet and the hands: If you cannot get around the forehands, take pace off and go to the feet with resets, or speed up at the paddle-side hip.

Clear communication with your own partner is what makes this work in real time. Brush up with my guide on pickleball partner communication so you and your partner are calling the mirror out loud.

Will a lefty-righty team stack against me?

Often, yes. Stacking is when a team lines up on the same side of the court before the serve or return and then crosses to put each player on their preferred side. A lefty-righty team frequently stacks specifically to keep both forehands in the middle and both backhands protected on the outside.

Here is how to handle it:

• Read the formation before every point: Do not assume the player on the left is the one who was there last point. Look at who is lined up where, and which hand each one holds the paddle in.
• Know the serving rules still apply: Stacking does not change the serving or scoring rules. The correct server and the correct service court are still determined by the score. You can learn the official positioning and serving rules straight from the governing body, since they publish the full rulebook at USA Pickleball.
• Attack during the scramble: A stacking team is most vulnerable in the half-second after the serve or return while they are crossing. A deep return or a sharp angle can catch them mid-switch.

If you want to use the same weapon, stacking is a tool for your team too. My full breakdown of pickleball stacking covers when and how to do it.

How should I adjust my serve and return against a lefty?

Your serve and return are the two shots you control completely, so they are the easiest places to apply all of this.

• Serve to the backhand corner: Pick the serve that pushes the ball toward the right side of a lefty’s body. On a lefty in the deuce court that is a different corner than your reflex expects, so picture it before you toss.
• Return deep and to the backhand: A deep return keeps the lefty pinned at the baseline and buys you time to get to the kitchen. Aim it at their weaker wing. If your return needs work, start with pickleball return of serve.
• Watch the third-shot angle: Because the lefty’s forehand is on the opposite side, their third-shot drive and drop can come at an angle you are not braced for. Split-step and stay neutral until you read the shot.

Does any of my equipment matter against a lefty?

Facing a lefty is a tactics-and-awareness challenge, not a gear one, so do not overthink your paddle here. That said, if you find yourself consistently late reacting to the mirrored angles, a slightly more maneuverable, quicker-handling paddle can help you adjust at the kitchen line. If you are curious whether your current paddle suits your reaction game, my paddle finder can point you in the right direction. And for the broader fundamentals that make you adaptable against any opponent, lefty or righty, spend time in my improve your game hub.

Frequently asked questions

Where is a left-handed pickleball player’s backhand?

A lefty is a mirror image of a righty, so their backhand is on the right side of their body and their forehand is on the left. Because most players have a weaker backhand, the balls that pressure a lefty are the ones you would normally feed into a right-hander’s forehand.

Why are lefty-righty teams so hard to play against?

When a lefty plays the left side and a righty plays the right, both of their forehands meet in the middle of the court, which is where most balls get hit. That means two strong forehands cover the center instead of a forehand and a backhand, so you have to attack the outer corners instead of the middle.

Should I hit down the middle against a lefty-righty team?

Usually no. The common advice to hit down the middle to cause confusion backfires against a lefty-righty team because the middle is covered by two forehands. Target the sidelines and the outer backhands instead, and attack during the scramble right after the serve or return.

How do I adjust my serve against a lefty?

Serve toward the right side of the lefty’s body to pressure their backhand, remembering that the corner you want is the opposite of the one you would pick against a right-hander. Picture the target before you toss, because your autopilot is aimed at the wrong corner for the first game or two.

Do lefty-righty teams stack in pickleball?

Frequently, yes. They stack to keep both forehands in the middle and both backhands protected on the outside. Read the formation before every point to see who is lined up where and which hand each player uses, and attack during the half-second they spend crossing to their sides.

Facing a lefty is less about new skills and more about staying awake to the mirror. Flip your angles, hunt the right-side backhand, respect the two forehands in the middle, and talk to your partner. Do that and the left-hander goes from a puzzle to just another opponent.