The Experiment: Tracking the Ball in Flight
We set up a custom-built testing rig to track real pickleballs in flight — both indoor (26-hole) and outdoor (40-hole) types. By launching balls with varying amounts of topspin, backspin, and speed, we recorded over 80 full trajectories and used simulation tools to extract the drag and lift forces acting on the ball throughout its path.
The goal was simple: understand what actually happens once a spinning ball leaves the paddle. But the results weren't simple at all.
Three Surprising Things We Found
1. Topspin and Backspin Aren’t Equal Opposites
Classic physics says spin creates lift by curving the air behind the ball — topspin dips, backspin floats. But in real tests, this wasn’t evenly matched. Topspin produced much more lift than backspin, even when the spin rates were the same.
What this means for players: If you’re trying to curve a ball downward or “dip it in” with topspin, it’s more effective than trying to float a ball upward with backspin. Backspin has a weaker effect on flight than players might think — especially at typical play speeds.
2. Balls Curve Even When They Don’t Spin
Some of the most surprising curves came from shots that had little or no spin at all. Even balls launched straight and flat with no twist on them still bent downward in flight — more than gravity alone would explain.
What this means for players: Don’t assume a ball with no spin will “fly straight.” There’s a hidden downward force at work — something more than just the usual drop from gravity.
3. Backspin Doesn’t Scale with Spin Rate
You’d expect that increasing your backspin would increase the ball’s lift — just like it does with topspin. But we found the opposite. Adding more backspin didn’t increase the ball’s curve in any reliable way. The effect was basically flat.
What this means for players: Spinning the ball backward more doesn’t always make it float better. There may be a point of diminishing returns where more backspin just wastes energy.
So What’s Really Going On?
Our best explanation is that gravity doesn’t just pull the ball down — it pulls on the air around it, too.
Air moving over the top of a ball has to travel upward, while air moving under the ball travels downward. Gravity slows that rising air and speeds up the descending air, which shifts how and where the air separates from the ball’s surface. This shift — tiny as it is — causes the ball’s wake (the disturbed air behind it) to tilt, and that tilt generates lift.
For topspin, gravity helps the spin create downward curve. For backspin, it fights against it. That’s why topspin behaves as expected, but backspin underperforms.
The Role of the Holes
Pickleballs are unique because of their holes. Air doesn’t just flow around the outside — it flows through the inside, too. Depending on how the ball spins, air can jet out of one side and interact with the surface flow. This makes the ball more unstable in flight and adds to the unpredictable effects — especially for backspin.
What This Means for Your Game
Topspin is king: If you want reliable dip, controlled drop shots, or sharp curve on drives, topspin delivers — and it scales with how much you apply.
Backspin behaves differently: Slice shots can be great for bounce control or off-speed deception, but don’t expect floating lobs or exaggerated rise from backspin alone.
Even flat shots curve: If a straight shot drops faster than you expect, it’s not just your arm angle — it’s aerodynamics.
Final Takeaway
This research helps explain some of the quirks players have always noticed but couldn’t fully explain. Why do balls sometimes dive unexpectedly? Why doesn’t backspin float as much as it “should”? Why do different balls behave differently even when hit the same?
The answers lie in a mix of gravity, spin, airflow, and those distinctive holes. It’s a complex system — but understanding just a bit of it can help you make smarter shots, choose better gear, and anticipate how the ball will fly.