Another way to hit more purposeful dinks is to focus on your dink placement. Like any other shot on the pickleball courts, you want to try to find the open court. There will always be open court space, even if your opponents are working in tandem on the pickleball court. You goal will be to find the open court space and create open court space by breaking down your opponents’ link.

There are three general areas when you are dinking at the Non-Volley Zone or Kitchen Line, which include the left corner (Spot A in the picture below), the middle (Spot B in the picture below), and the right corner (Spot C in the picture below). There are also a multitude of subsets (for example, Spots D through G in the picture below). Practice hitting to these spots, so that you can hit to any of these spots. By hitting these spots, you will be able to manipulate play and open up the court. For instance, if you hit a dink to Spot C, and your opponents are moving in tandem, then Spot A should be open for your next shot. If your opponents did not move in tandem, then Spot B will be open for your next shot. As a reminder, also try to place the dinks to your opponents’ feet on their respective weaker sides (which is usually their backhand sides).
When dinking, move the pickleball around and hit your spots to manipulate play against your opponents. Try to spread your opponents out and break their link!

To note, your shot selection and placement will be determined by the shot that your opponents hit to you. For instance, if your opponents hit a non-purposeful dink, then you may be able to hit a more aggressive, more purposeful dink back to them. If your opponents hit an aggressive dink to you and your partner that puts you in a compromising position, then you may need to hit a more passive dink back to your opponents.

Key Takeaways:

1. Use your placement of your dink to make your dinks more purposeful. Hit your spots!

2. Try to find the open court and try to create open court space by spreading your opponents apart from each other and breaking their link.

3. Target your opponents’ feet on their respective weaker sides (which is usually their backhand sides).