Pro pickleball case study: Why JW and Jorja Johnson have taken a step back in 2026

Tony Roig

Contributor

Last Edited

Apr 15 2026

What works for the Johnsons

The first step in playing your best is to know yourself. Seems like a super zen thing to say – and perhaps obvious – but think about it for a second. Do you know yourself as a player? More specifically, do you know the pickleball strategy (approach) that gives you the best chance for success? Based on both your strengths as well as the could-be-better parts of your game.

For the Johnsons, it’s the following:

- JW Johnson has the fastest hands in pickleball – bar none. Other players have fast hands, but none like JW. To be clear, here we are referring not just to hand speed, but to what he can do with the ball. A firefight with JW usually does not end well for the opponent.

- Jorja Johnson has some of the best vision in the game. She sees holes and attack opportunities that other players do not. When allowed to create, Jorja is one of the most dangerous offensive players on the planet.

- Both Jorja and JW have finishing power. The ability to finish a rally is often the differentiator in these high-level matches.

Bonus for the Johnsons: Jorja can hang in a firefight, even against men (who can usually overpower women in hands battles). I am not saying here that Jorja is favored in firefights with a player like Patriquin. What I am saying is that the natural advantage of the man here is less than normal because of Jorja’s extraordinary level of skill.

Knowing these strengths, what strategy would work best for JW and Jorja? From my vantage point, it is to be the aggressor. Almost all the time. I would open up Jorja’s attack window so that she is attacking almost every ball other than the most difficult stress shot. Her attacks would be cross-court, activating a hands battle between JW and Anna.

As amazing a player as Anna is, for my money, JW wins the majority of these. I would also have JW create more off-the-bounce and low-ball flicks. Hand speed plus finishing power. Put them to use.

What does not work for the Johnsons

Jorja and JW get themselves into trouble when they start playing a passive, grind game against Hayden and Anna. Here’s why: This strategy involves a heavy dose of cross-court dinking between Jorja and Anna. JW and Hayden are put in the role of opportunistic poachers – looking to step in and put an errant dink away.

Jorja is a great dinker, but Anna is better. And not just a little better – a lot better. Much of this difference comes from the different style of dink: Anna apex dinks while Jorja short-hop dinks.

If you want to see the difference between the two types of dinks, and understand why one is better than the other, check out this coaching video on In2Pickle.

Add the fact that Hayden is a better poacher than JW. Hayden is quicker and more nimble, and he is ALWAYS looking for a poach. JW, meanwhile, plays a more balanced line and inserts himself less frequently.

If you think I am out of my mind, watch Anna and Hayden when they play Johns/Waters. They know that grinding it out is a mistake in that match. So what they do is open up the faucets on all attacks all the time. And it works for them. Not that they are going to win every time. But they have the best chance of doing so.

The next time JW and Jorja face off against Anna and Hayden, I would look for them to:

- Push their hands edge by attacking every chance they get – particularly against Anna to set up a JW-Anna hands battle.

- Avoid static, cross-court dinking patterns between Jorja and Anna. Doesn’t mean they’ll win, but they will certainly have the best chance to do so.

How this applies to you

Want to give yourself the best chance of winning a pickleball game?

1. Be clear about what you are good at.

2. Select an approach that maximizes your advantages and minimizes your disadvantages.

3. When you are ready to add this extra layer, factor in your opponents' strengths and weaknesses as well.

If you're looking for more insights into high-level pickleball, the Better Pickleball Academy has you covered. You’ll also gain access to their easy to use “BP Play Guides” including middle dinking patterns and more. Use code "KITCHEN26" at checkout for a special offer just for Kitchen community members (3 months for the price of 2).

Tony Roig is a nationally-recognized coach, Sr. Pro Player, developer of “Respect the X” on the In2Pickle YouTube channel, and the voice behind the Pickleball Therapy podcast. Visit BetterPickleball.com for information on coaching from Tony and the BP team through their Camps, Academy, and No. 1 online training program: The Pickleball System.

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