The King of the Two-Handed Backhand Rule
On the Rise Pro Emerges in Breakthrough Pickleball Year
In a wide-ranging interview on the popular Sleeve’s Senior Pickleball Report podcast, fast-rising professional pickleball player Connor Garnett provided insight into his rapid ascent in the sport in 2023 after transitioning from a successful college tennis career. Garnett discussed finding chemistry with partners, dominating with his two-handed backhand, thriving under pressure, and big plans for 2024 with host Mike "Sleeves" Sliwa.
Introducing Connor Garnett, 0:51 Garnett outlined his journey from being a top high school and college tennis player to getting introduced to pickleball a few years ago. He explained that while chasing his former tennis level was challenging at times, the rapid daily improvements he saw in pickleball were incredibly fun and validating. The newness of the sport provided a clean slate to measure his progression. Was the Two-Handed Backhand Your Best Shot in Tennis?, 3:27 Garnett credited his dominant two-handed backhand to his baseball background batting lefty. He said his forehand required complete reconstruction, while his backhand kinetic chain seamlessly transferred from tennis to pickleball without any technical tweaks. Garnett called his backhand a natural strength across sports that he’s fortunately been able to leverage. If You Were to Give One (Two-Handed Backhand) Drill, Would It Be to Work With the Non-Dominant Hand First?, 4:43 When asked about how to improve the two-handed backhand, Garnett recommended that players first get more comfortable hitting left-handed forehands to involve their left hand more. He also stressed the importance of pulling the ball cross-court to get the left hand engaged. When Playing Doubles, Do You Prefer to Hit the Ball to a Particular Side of The Court?, 6:27 Garnett shared that he prefers to play on the left side in doubles to really rip his two-handed backhand. He has practiced hitting backhands more on the right side in preparation for MLP Team events where you don’t know your positioning. Garnett added that he will find a way to run around his forehand to hit backhands from either side when playing doubles. 2023 Recap, 7:22 After quitting his finance job to play pickleball full time at the end of January 2023, Garnett struggled at first to break through in tournaments. He managed to finally medal in Atlanta which gave him a jolt of confidence that he carried through the rest of the season. Garnett summarized an excellent debut year featuring 4 silver and 4 bronze medals while greatly exceeding his expectations in doubles. Talk About the Process of Finding Partners in Doubles and Mixed Doubles, 9:24 Garnett highlighted the difficult juggling act required to secure strong partners amid his rapid personal progression. He recounted getting dropped four times by early partners last year while he searched for chemistry and skill compatibility. Garnett emphasized earning credibility through singles success to get better partners interested. He also noted strategically planning future partnerships in advance to avoid being stuck with lesser players. Chemistry Plays a Role. Who Will You Be Playing With in 2024?, 11:51 Garnett confirmed that he has locked in several elite partners for next season, includes Allyce Jones and Etta Wright on the women’s side. He expects to fit well with Allyce given her relentless grit and fight. On the men’s side, Garnett will start the year playing with Rafa Hewett and later team up with Christian Alshon. He already shares great chemistry with both players. MLP Experience, 14:53 When asked about competing in the MLB Team format events, Garnett compared the atmosphere to an awesome college tennis team environment. He described progressing from the Minor leagues up to the high intensity Premier division like slowly turning up the pressure cooker. Garnett emphasized needing to come through in the clutch when competing against undefendable shots from the world’s best players. Event Head Space, 17:21 Garnett explained that unlike being amped up in big tennis moments, he shoots for a measured calm in pickleball to avoid playing overly aggressive. He leans on having enough shot repetition to trust his muscle memory in pressure situations. Garnett strives to blend staying mentally cool with a willingness to intelligently pull the trigger when opportunities arise. Pro XR Signature Paddle, 19:14 Garnett gratefully highlighted Pro XR support last year, including providing custom paddle wraps long before his breakthrough success. He praised their creativity and nimble leadership team. When Pro XR offered Garnett a special edition signature paddle, he was thrilled by the vote of confidence in his very first full year as a pro. Paddle Weight, 22:21 Garnett currently plays with his Pro XR signature paddle weighted up to 91 or 92 grams, which he believes provides a good balance. He said many top men have paddles weighing 85+ grams. The extra heft helps him power through battles at the net and accelerate the ball while still benefiting from the paddle’s high spin potential. YouTube Instructional Videos, 23:45 Garnett launched his “Connor Garnett Pickleball” YouTube channel in December with an inaugural video breaking down his two-handed backhand technique. He plans to share more tutorial videos in 2024 across all social platforms, blended with some vlog-style content. Garnett wants to build out an entire media team over the next year to produce engaging instructional content. Sponsors, 25:40 Besides his signature Pro XR paddle partnership, Garnett also represents the Florence Marine clothing brand started by a friend in Newport. He emphasized the special community feel in pickleball, where sponsor relationships lead to meaningful friendships and mutual investment in each other’s success.
Emerging professional pickleball player Connor Garnett joined the Sleeve's Senior Pickleball Report podcast to discuss his rapid ascent up the sport's ranks in 2023 after transitioning from a top-level college tennis career.
In his first full season competing professionally, Garnett scored a series of doubles medals on the APP tour to dramatically outperform his own expectations. He recounted the difficult balancing act of securing compatible partners amid his swift improvement. Garnett has already lined up several elite teammates for the 2024 season.
Garnett explained how his dominant two-handed backhand derives from his baseball experience batting lefty, seamlessly crossing over to both tennis and pickleball. When asked how to improve the stroke, he recommended drills incorporating more left-handed forehands and cross-court backhand pulls to get the non-hitting hand involved.
Detailing the intense team format of Major League Pickleball events, Garnett compared the atmosphere to awesome college competitions. He highlighted needing to come through in pressurized late-game situations against the world's best undefendable shots. Garnett also revealed his mental approach, aiming for a calm focus combined with intelligent aggression.
Additionally, Garnett enthusiastically discussed recently launching his instructional "Connor Garnett Pickleball" YouTube channel to share backhand tips and tricks. He plans to greatly expand his video content and online coaching services in 2024 while balancing his own training. Garnett finished by praising the communal, mutually supportive culture of pickleball before previewing an even bigger year ahead.
YouTube Time Code List
- 0:51 Connor Garnett Introduction
- 1:14 How did pickleball find you?
- 3:27 Was the two-handed backhand your best shot in tennis?
- 4:43 If you were to give one (two-handed backhand) drill, would it be to work with the non-dominant hand first?
- 6:27 When playing doubles, do you prefer to hit the ball to a particular side of the court?
- 7:22 2023 Recap
- 9:24 Talk about the process of finding partners in Doubles and Mixed Doubles
- 11:51 Chemistry plays a role. Who will you be playing with in 2024?
- 14:53 MLP Experinece
- 17:21 Event Head Space
- 19:14 Pro XR Signature Paddle
- 22:21 Paddle Weight
- 23:45 YouTube Instructional Videos
- 25:40 Sponsors
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