Pickelball! Pro Game Featuring Former Tennis Player, Sam Querrey. Learn by Watching Others!

In this video, a game played in the pro division at the US Open. Former tennis player Sam Querrey and his partner, Judit Castillo take on Martin Clark, the number one ranked men's mixed doubles player in Australia and his partner Megan Hall.

[joenaylor]

Saw a similar thing where a superior athlete who was new to pickelball was able to outcompete experienced pickleball players. I was with a group of intermediate pickleball players when this beginner joined the game. Said she had only been playing pickelball a few months. We were all surprised at how very good she was. Turned out she was just off the tour as a professional golfer and currently a pro at a local country club. Although golf and Pickleball would seem to have little in common, I guess her natural skill at athletics, quick reflexes, great hands, good swing, etc. made her a natural at a quite different sport.

[underhandedtoss]

I was at the US Open - It was very windy the entire week. You mentioned how surprised you were with the mistakes, that might have had something to do with it.

[jasontinsley]

Best shot against Sam looked to be to his low forhand side, especially if he was moving. When he served a second shot to the transition zone might have worked better that a deep shot.
As a 6' 4" inch player the extra time to reach low and to set the feet is a disadvantage. Find those spots.

[mmr]

I agree that 4:50 mark drive drop is nasty. Tennis player i go against has that shot and you can't attack it and you really can't let it bounce either. If you are not ready for it it will dip under your paddle. If you are ready for it the best you can do is take it out of the air and just flip it up softly into the kitchen.

[PickleballJoy]

Sam appears to hit a lot of low margin of error shots. But his eye-hand coordination and his athleticism are simply superior to we mere mortals. He had a lot of errors to start with, but really got grooved by the mid-point of the game.

Judit plays with the biggest paddle I've ever seen ... and she surely has the skill to use it(!). That girl can PLAY.


Martin and Megan seemed flustered by Sam's condor-like wing span. (I'm pretty sure Sam has what we coaches call "Positive Ape Index, " where his wing span is longer than he is tall.) I've played against some 6'4" guys like that ... but they aren't former Top Twenty tennis players. Sheesh!

[mmr]

Great idea to go down the line at 11:40 mark but poor execution. IMO you have to show poachers that look, even just randomly. At the recreational level the tennis players are way more aggressive and comfortable poaching. You have to hit a few down the line to keep them a little honest. Great lob at 16 minute. You lob over the short player. Sam made a great recovery and really it was Martin that messed up the point.