44: Surprise Your Pickleball Partners And Improve Your Game With This Tip!

In this episode, Michael and Mircea dig into one of the biggest offensive upgrades in modern pickleball: the two-handed backhand dink. Mircea, a former tennis and squash player, shares what it's like to relearn a shot as a high-level competitor, while Michael reflects on his own journey picking up the "twoie" back in 2023. Together they break down technique, drilling strategy, and how the shot shows up differently depending on where you are on the court.

Most players are asking the wrong question. "Should I drop or drive?" treats the third shot as a single moment — but it's actually the opening move in a sequence. In this episode, Michael and Mircea break down how advancing players shift from shot-by-shot thinking to combo thinking, and why that mental shift is what separates Pros from 4.0 players.

It's the shot we all play for: that big, fluffy, juicy floater hanging in the air, begging to be put away. So why do so many players blow it? In this episode, Michael O'Neal and Mircea Morariu dig into one of pickleball's most mismanaged opportunities, the floater, and break down exactly what goes wrong and how to fix it.

What We Cover This Episode

Michael O’Neal (@solohour) and Mircea Morariu (@brainsdoc) return to the 4.0 to Pro pickleball podcast, recap Michael’s visit to the PPA finals in San Clemente and what stands out in person about open pros’ hand speed, defense, resets, and dinking pressure, and announce plans to publish more regularly. They discuss CRBN's Barrage paddle (promo code 402P at checkout at crbnpickleball.com) and its power and durability, then dig into DUPR volatility, including ratings dropping after close losses or even wins, the impact of low reliability opponents, and suggestions like weighting later-round matches and the need to “play up” to raise rating. They share tournament stories (including a walk-off ATP and a disastrous windy match) and highlight key improvement areas: stop and hit with a split step, communicate with partners, and let out balls go, plus a drill to understand how little pace keeps balls in. They close with thoughts on sticking to one’s strengths despite the game’s increasing aggression and what each is currently working on (Mircea’s two-handed backhand; Michael refining defensive resets).