How to Play Aggressively from the Right Side in Pickleball

For years, the right side player was seen as the "setup guy." But in 2025, aggressive right side players like Gabe Tardio and Christian Alshon are changing the game—and it’s working. Here's how you can evolve your play and start dictating points from the right side.

A Quick History Lesson

When I started playing pickleball in 2013, and even when I turned pro in 2020, the right side was mostly about consistency. You played high-percentage shots and let your left-side partner be the aggressor.

That all changed around 2023.

Matt Wright and Riley Newman were one of the top teams on tour. But when they couldn’t get past Ben and Collin Johns, Matt made a shift—he started playing ultra-aggressively from the right. Any time he got a forehand in the middle, he was looking to speed up. Dylan Frazier followed suit. Then came Gabe Tardio and Christian Alshon.

Now, being aggressive on the right side isn’t just viable—it’s the meta.

Want to Play an Aggressive Right? Start Here.

First, gear matters. If you want to hit aggressive speed-ups and roll shots, you need a paddle that gives you control and pop.

Positioning Is Everything

The biggest shift is where you’re standing and how you’re thinking about the middle.

Pinch the middle: On crosscourt dinks, lean in and look to take the ball out of the air.

From this position, you have options:

• Aggressive crosscourt roll
• Speed up cross-body or through the middle
• Inside-out dink to bait wide returns
• Down-the-line speed ups off wide balls
• Off-speed attacks to the chicken wing

You're almost daring your opponent to hit to your forehand—and when they do, you’re ready to strike.

Backhand Flick Attacks

When the ball is in front of you:

Pinch the middle again

• Force your opponent to dink down the line

If it comes middle, unleash a backhand flick:

• Straight ahead
• To the chicken wing 
• Middle
• Or cross-body (toughest but most rewarding)

Just know that the backhand flick leaves your forehand side a bit exposed—so anticipate and recover quickly.

Final Thoughts

The right side isn’t the beta role anymore. These tactics are advanced and rely on having a strong understanding of attacking patterns.

I dive deeper into this in the full video—watch it here. And if you have questions, leave a comment. I might just make a custom video reply.

You can also find me on Cameo for personalized breakdowns and messages.