High, bold, disguised, and devastating when done right.
If you needed proof that the lob is back in modern pickleball, Anna Bright delivered it in ridiculous fashion at the Las Vegas Open, August 27–31, 2025: 24 lobs in a single match.
Twenty-four!
Not moonballs. Not panic heaves. Purposeful, out-of-the-air, disguised lobs that flipped rallies, pushed opponents into transition, and completely changed momentum.
And here’s the best part: This is absolutely a shot intermediate and advanced rec players can learn.
Let’s break down why Anna’s lob works so well—and how to add the right version to your own game without turning it into a free overhead clinic for your opponents.
Why the Anna Bright Lob Works
The magic isn’t height. It’s timing, disguise, and intention.
1. She lobs out of the air
Taking the ball early removes the opponent’s time and disguises the shot beautifully. When you take a lob off the bounce, it floats.
When you volley it early, it jumps.
2. Her disguise is elite
Her dink, her roll, her neutral volley, her lob—they all look the same until the last second. Opponents can’t load their feet or read her paddle.
Anna Bright just sat down with Zane Navratil to spill the secrets behind her famous lob. In this quick video, she walks through how she disguises it so smoothly — and how you can pull it off yourself:
3. She uses the lob to change the point, not win it
This is the biggest difference between pros and rec players.
A good lob doesn’t have to be perfect—it just has to push your opponents off the line, force an off-balance overhead, and make them hit a fourth-shot reset from midcourt.
When You Should Use the Lob
A good lob isn’t random—it’s earned. Use it when:
- Your opponent leans forward or shifts middle
- You’ve played a few neutral dinks in a row and they relax
- You get a ball you can contact early, out in front
- You’re uncomfortable or pressured in a crosscourt dink exchange
- You want to reset the rally and flip offensive/defensive roles
Never lob when:
- You’re off balance
- The ball drops below net height
- Your opponent’s paddle is already high
- You didn’t set up the disguise
That’s how you send gift-wrapped overheads.
How to Actually Hit the Anna Bright Lob
1. Start with sameness
Hit two normal dinks first. Same stance, same angle, same tempo. Make them feel the pattern.
2. Keep your wrist quiet
If your wrist is dancing, your lob will spray. Use a smooth, shoulder-driven push.
3. Contact out front, slightly toward your lead foot
Righties: left foot. This angle helps you disguise the lift and shape the ball naturally.
4. Aim for “good enough,” not perfect
A perfect lob is nice…A “deepish, annoying, force-you-back” lob is better.
5. After you lob—give yourself space
This part is where rec players blow it.
Anna routinely retreats half a step after lobbing—not because it’s bad, but because she knows an overhead is coming, and she wants room to defend it.
Here’s Anna explaining how to hit a perfect lob:
The 5 Lob Mistakes Rec Players Make ⚠️
1. Lobbing off the bounce when the ball is low
This guarantees a short lob.
Fix: Take it out of the air whenever possible.
2. Telegraphing with a big wind-up
If they see it coming, it’s dead on arrival.
Fix: Keep your prep identical to your dink.
3. Flicking instead of pushing
Leads to pop-ups or mishits.
Fix: Smooth, soft shoulder action.
4. Staying at the kitchen instead of retreating
You’re asking to get tagged.
Fix: After the lob, take a small step back and load your feet.
5. Trying to win with the lob
This is the #1 mindset error.
Fix: The lob is a disruptor—not the finisher. You win on ball two or three after it.
Drills That Make the Lob Automatic
🎯 Drill 1: Two Dinks + One Lob
Dink crosscourt → dink crosscourt → volley lob.
Focus on identical setup each time.
🎯 Drill 2: Shoulder Push Warmup
Volley 20 balls using only shoulder movement to remove wrist slapping.
🎯 Drill 3: Lob → Retreat → Block
Partner hits an overhead after your lob. You practice retreating, blocking, then re-taking the kitchen.
This is real-world pickleball.
The Lob Isn’t Cheap—It’s Smart
Anna Bright didn’t revive the lob because she wanted highlight-reel clips. She revived it because it forces pros into the worst position in pickleball: retreating while you’re already set at the kitchen.
When you add this shot to your game:
- You stop feeling trapped in crosscourt dink wars
- You take the pressure off your resets
- You frustrate aggressive opponents
- You flip rallies on your terms
- You make the game more strategic, not more hectic
Start small.
Dink twice.
Keep your wrist quiet.
Lift with confidence.
And let your opponents discover—you’ve added the Anna Bright lob to your arsenal.
