Technical and Tactical Performance in Women’s Singles Pickleball: A Notational Analysis of Key Match Indicators

Abstract

Background: Pickleball has experienced remarkable growth in recent years, yet studies exploring its specific characteristics are scarce. This investigation provides a detailed notational analysis of women’s singles pickleball, evaluating the technical and tactical performance indicators in the game. Method: An observational methodology was used to analyze all points from five PPA Tour tournaments. The matches were recorded and coded using LINCE PLUS software, version 2.1.0, with a category system designed for this sport. A descriptive analysis was conducted with IBM SPSS version 25.0, and Theme 6.0 Edu software was used to detect gameplay patterns. The statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: The findings indicate that serving players have a slight advantage, winning 55.1% of points. Most of the points were resolved through unforced errors, accounting for 63.7% of the total, primarily from forehand strokes in short rallies and backhand strokes in medium rallies. The most frequent hitting zones for point termination were near the non-volley zone (35.8%) and behind the baseline (38.6%). Conclusions: This study provides a deeper understanding of performance in women’s pickleball, highlighting technical and tactical patterns that offer guidelines for optimizing strategies and techniques in the sport.