When dinking, it is important to have a strategy and to dink with a purpose. In this lesson, we breakdown some key considerations for strategizing in the dink.

Crosscourt Dinks

As a reminder, a good dink is an unattackable shot that is used to stay in the point until a player hits an attackable ball. A dink is most commonly hit crosscourt (as opposed to straightforward or in the middle of the court). This is because the crosscourt dink gives you the most margin for error, as (1) the lowest part of the net is in the middle; (2) you are hitting into a natural angle; and (3) you have more court space to dink into in the two-thirds portion of your opponents’ Non-Volley Zone or Kitchen. In other words, the crosscourt dink is more forgiving and you do not need to be quite as perfect. As a result, you should dedicate yourself to be extremely proficient at the crosscourt dink, and 70% to 80% of your dinks should probably be crosscourt.

When to Go Down the Middle or Down the Line

Despite the benefits of a crosscourt dink, you probably should not hit a crosscourt dink on every dinking shot. This is especially true because continuously going crosscourt may put extra pressure on you to be better and better on every successive shot. Plus, you want to remain unpredictable! Consider going down the middle of the pickleball court, or down the line on your side of the pickleball court, in order to keep your opponents moving and prevent your opponents from cheating to one side of the pickleball court.

Down the middle and down the line dinks are also generally easier shots to hit successfully than crosscourt dinks if you find yourself under pressure. In light of this, consider using down the middle and down the line dinks to stay in points if you are struggling to return strong or well-placed shots by your opponents with crosscourt dinks. This is especially true if your opponents are hitting strong, aggressively angled crosscourt dinks that pull you off the pickleball court and out of position. Rather than hit a shot at a sharp angle back across the pickleball court, you may find it is easier to gently tap the pickleball over the net in front of you.

Lastly, consider going down the line on your side of the pickleball court when you see either (1) open court space from your opponents over-shifting; or (2) your opponent is out of the Pickleball Ready position with his or her paddle down, as this may be an opportunity for a surprise attack. However, pick your opportunities carefully, as your opponent may be anticipating and waiting for your down the line shot.

Key Takeaways:

1. Dink with a purpose. Have a strategy when you are dinking.
2. Use the crosscourt dink, which will give you the most room for error.
3. However, remain unpredictable, and keep your opponents moving to track down the pickleball! Consider going down the middle or down the line if (a) you feel under pressure; (b) your opponents are cheating and leaving open space on the court; or (c) your opponents are not ready or have their paddles out of position, and you can go in for a surprise body attack!