Answer:
gemini / gemini-2.5-flash
Yes, skinny singles is an excellent and highly recommended drill for pickleball. It involves playing singles on only half of the court, typically cross-court or down-the-line. This format offers significant benefits for skill development:\n\n1. **Improved Accuracy & Placement:** Players must focus intensely on hitting specific targets within a confined area, enhancing precision for dinks, volleys, and groundstrokes.\n2. **Enhanced Footwork:** It refines footwork and court positioning, especially around the non-volley zone and mid-court.\n3. **Strategic Practice:** It allows for focused practice of specific shot sequences and strategies, such as cross-court dink battles or driving down the line.\n4. **Higher Repetition:** Being less physically demanding than full singles, it allows for more quality repetitions of key shots.\n\nWhile it doesn't replicate full-court movement, it's invaluable for isolating and refining crucial skills applicable to both singles and doubles play.
openai / gpt-4o-mini
Score: 9
The answer accurately describes the benefits of skinny singles as a drill for pickleball, highlighting improved accuracy, footwork, strategic practice, and higher repetition. It effectively points out that while it doesn't replicate full-court movement, it isolates crucial skills. However, it could be slightly improved by mentioning that it might not be suitable for all skill levels, as beginners may struggle with the intensity of focused play. Overall, the information provided is sound and relevant.
anthropic / claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929
Score: 9
The answer is factually accurate and comprehensive. Skinny singles is indeed a widely recommended pickleball drill that uses half the court and provides the benefits described. The four main points are all correct: it does improve accuracy and placement, enhances footwork, allows strategic practice, and provides higher repetition with less physical demand than full singles. The acknowledgment that it doesn't replicate full-court movement is appropriate and honest. The answer could be slightly improved by mentioning that the drill is particularly popular for warming up or when court space is limited, and that it's especially beneficial for doubles players to practice side-to-side movement patterns. However, these are minor additions rather than corrections of errors.
cohere / command-r-plus-08-2024
Score: 9.5
The answer is comprehensive and accurate, covering the benefits of the 'skinny singles' drill in pickleball. It highlights the importance of this drill in improving accuracy, footwork, and strategy, while also allowing for more repetitions of key shots. The explanation is clear and concise, providing a good understanding of why this drill is highly recommended. A minor point for improvement could be to mention that while the drill is beneficial, it is just one aspect of a well-rounded practice regimen, and should be complemented with other drills and game scenarios for a comprehensive skill development.
Scores are 0–10. The selected AI’s score is a self-rating.
