Master the dink shot for net play

The dink is a soft shot hit near the net that lands in the opponent's kitchen, forcing controlled tactical play instead of power exchanges. It is the foundation of advanced pickleball strategy.

How to Execute

• Hold the paddle face slightly open at roughly 45 degrees
• Make contact out in front of your body, below net height
• Use a push-and-lift motion, not a swing — minimal backswing
• Bend your knees and stay low, powering the shot from your shoulder and legs
• Hit the ball at its lowest point, directing it diagonally into the opponent's kitchen

Tips

• Cross-court dinks give more margin for error because you hit over the lowest part of the net into the longest diagonal
• Vary the pace — mix fast aggressive dinks with slow soft ones to disrupt rhythm
• Adding a second hand to your backhand dink provides stability and deception at higher levels