Ben Johns explains how he tilts pickleball matches in his favor

Alex Lantz

Director of Content

Last Edited

Feb 02 2026

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News

There's no doubting that Ben Johns is the greatest player to have ever played pickleball. But how did he reach that pinnacle, and how has he maintained that level of dominance for so long?

In an episode of Pickleballers last year, Johns explained to co-hosts Roscoe Bellamy and Jared Paul that a lot of his success and consistency boils down to decision making.

He attacks when he's supposed to attack, and he plays it safe when he's supposed to play it safe.

Johns pointed out in the interview that consistency often gets confused or mistaken for playing conservatively. That's not exactly the right way to look at it, he said.

"With consistency, most people mean not missing a lot," Johns said. "To me, it's more important to be consistent in terms of your level. You shouldn't have a lot of dips in your in your play."

That means a player -- like Johns, for example -- can still be aggressive in terms of applying pressure and making opponents feel uncomfortable, while also being consistent.

Johns breaks it down like this: There are times when he could start a firefight and be neutral or slightly favored to win that exchange. But if he waits for a better opportunity, the odds shift more in his favor -- so he could now have a 60% chance to win the point instead of a 50% or 55% chance to win the point.

Over the years he has become a master at knowing when to strike and when to be patient, and you don't see him trying to attack from a low-percentage position very often, if at all.

"I always encourage players -- if you see an attackable ball and you feel like you can attack properly, you have to do it," Johns said. "Because there's also unforeseen percentages in there if you pass up those opportunities."

Looking for more Pickleballers episodes? Find all past episodes here, and be on the lookout for the first Episode of Season 3 later this week.

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