How pros build pickleball shots, and how amateurs can practice them

The pro shot is built before it looks special

The best pickleball shots on tour usually start as ordinary skills repeated until they become dangerous. That is the real lesson behind Anna Leigh Waters’ two-handed backhand poach, Mari Humberg’s backhand flick, Callie Smith’s forehand, Christian Alshon’s tweener, and Camila Zilveti’s Nasty Nelson: the flash comes later, after movement, positioning, and repetition have already done the heavy lifting.

For a retreat weekend or a focused practice block, that framing matters. The goal is not to copy every bit of pro flair. It is to borrow the pieces that actually transfer to intermediate play: footwork first, clean mechanics second, and one signature shot that you can trust under pressure.

Anna Leigh Waters and the two-handed backhand

Waters is the current PPA Tour No. 1 in women’s singles, doubles, and mixed doubles, and the tour says she has already collected 181 gold medals and 39 triple crowns. Her path into pickleball is as memorable as her results: she discovered the game in 2017 after her family evacuated Florida during Hurricane Irma and her grandfather introduced her to it in Pennsylvania.

Her two-handed backhand helped push the shot from curiosity to mainstream weapon at the highest level. Coverage of her game says the move changed how elite pickleball is played, even though the two-handed backhand was once dismissed by many players as a tennis habit that did not belong in pickleball.

The practical lesson is simple: do not start by trying to make the shot look pro-level. Start with movement and positioning. As one guide put it, “You should probably work on the movement before you actually get on the court.” Waters has said players need to know where they want to hit the ball, be willing to swing with purpose, and repeat the motion many times until it feels natural.

For amateurs, that means the weekend drill is not just hitting a backhand poach in open play. It is learning to move early, set the body, and make the swing feel automatic before adding speed. If the feet are late, the shot is already broken.

Mari Humberg’s backhand flick, and what to steal from it

Humberg’s backhand flick is one of the clearest examples of a shot that looks simple but depends on very specific mechanics. It is commonly described as a wrist-driven attacking shot from the kitchen line that uses topspin and pace, which makes it a finesse attack rather than a pure power swing.

She also gives amateurs a useful warning: the exact way she uses it is not necessarily ideal for everyone because it can stress the wrist. That is why the smarter version for retreat play is to borrow the shape of the shot without forcing the same load on your hand and forearm. Build wrist strength, use support when needed, and practice lifting the ball with topspin from just below the net.

If you want a realistic practice plan, keep it tight and controlled:

• Use a ball machine or feed drills.
• Work from just below the net, not from full-court chaos.
• Focus on a clean upward lift with topspin.
• Use the continental grip or handshake grip if that matches the instruction you are following.

The point is not to crush the ball. The point is to create a quick, attacking reply that stays low, clears the net, and lands with enough spin to keep pressure on the opponent.

Callie Smith’s forehand proves the basics still win points

Smith’s forehand is a reminder that some of the best weapons in pickleball are still the simplest ones. There is nothing glamorous about that message, but it is exactly why it matters. A dependable forehand can become an offensive tool when it is paired with lots of repetition and the strength work needed to finish through the ball cleanly.

That makes Smith’s example especially useful for retreat players who want a shot they can actually use in league play, not just admire on a highlights clip. A strong forehand does not require a complicated read. It requires timing, balance, and enough reps that the swing holds up when the pace climbs.

If your current game needs one weekend project, this is often the best place to start. Build the forehand that survives a long rally, then turn it into the shot you trust when the ball sits up.

The tweener, the Nasty Nelson, and the value of a signature shot

Christian Alshon’s tweener and Camila Zilveti’s Nasty Nelson show the entertainment side of the sport, but they are not just party tricks. They also teach timing, courage, and the willingness to attempt a high-difficulty play without fear of failure. That mindset is part of why signature shots spread so quickly through the game.

The Nasty Nelson is the serve that intentionally hits the non-receiving opponent before the ball bounces. Under the official rules, a serve that touches the receiver or the receiver’s partner before the bounce is a point for the serving team. It is legal, but many players still view it as unsportsmanlike.

Zilveti has said she wanted a signature shot she could go for once per game, and recent coverage says she has practiced the Nasty Nelson on recreational courts. The shot’s history is also part of its appeal: Tim Nelson is widely associated with its origin, which is how the move got its name.

That combination of legality, controversy, and repeatable intent is exactly why it belongs in a serious shot-building conversation. A signature shot does not need to be used constantly to matter. It needs to be trainable, believable, and available when the moment is right.

What to copy, what to ignore, and what to practice this weekend

The cleanest takeaway from all of these pros is that highlight-reel shots are built from ordinary ingredients. Copy the movement, the preparation, and the repeatability. Ignore the urge to chase every bit of spectacle.

A smart weekend practice plan looks like this:

• Choose one shot, not five.
• Learn the footwork and positioning before the swing.
• Repeat the motion until it feels natural.
• Add pace only after control is stable.
• Accept missed reps as part of building a real weapon.

That is why Waters’ two-handed backhand matters so much, and why Humberg’s flick, Smith’s forehand, and even Zilveti’s Nasty Nelson are useful to study. They are not tricks first. They are habits first. Once the habits are in place, the shot starts to look like magic, just like it does on tour.