The dink is a soft shot from the non-volley zone to your opponent's, slowing the game and moving them out of position. Common placements include cross-court, down-the-line, and middle. Advanced players add spin, speed, and depth variations.
What Is the Dink In Pickleball?
A pickleball dink is a soft shot made from the non-volley zone line, also known as the kitchen line, landing in your opponent’s non-volley zone.
Given the rules of pickleball, which prohibit volleys from within the non-volley zone, a skillfully executed dink compels your opponent to wait for the ball to bounce.
This situation requires them to hit their next shot upwards to clear the net, limiting their ability to respond aggressively.
Advantages of Dink Shots
Dink shots are especially useful against aggressive players because they slow the pace of play.
Here’s a short list of the main advantages of playing a dink in pickleball:
- Reduces Opponent’s Aggression: Forces slower, upward shots, limiting power plays.
- Increases Rally Duration: Promotes longer points, testing endurance and precision.
- Enhances Court Positioning: Draws opponents closer, creating opportunities for lob shots.
- Improves Ball Control: Develops finesse and touch, crucial for net play.
- Strategically Shifts Momentum: Slows the game, allowing for strategic regrouping.
- Exploits Weaknesses: Targets opponents’ mobility and dink shot proficiency.
- Encourages Errors: Increases chances of unforced errors from opponents trying to overhit.
3 Types of Dink Shots
Dink shots are a nuanced and strategic aspect of pickleball, essential for dictating the pace and direction of the game. They include variations like down-the-line and cross-court dinks, each with unique advantages and strategic purposes.
Additionally, incorporating spins like topspin and backspin adds layers of complexity and unpredictability to your dink game.
1. The Strategic Cross-Court Dink
Cross-court dinks allow for extended shot length while ensuring the ball lands near the net, challenging your opponent’s ability to respond with a powerful return. The angle of a cross-court dink increases your margin for error, reducing the risk of hitting the net on a low shot.
More importantly, it can significantly displace your opponent, potentially forcing them to run to the sideline to make a return and leaving the court open for a decisive smash.
2. The Tactical Down-the-Line Dink
Direct and confrontational, down-the-line dinks target the opponent straight ahead. While cross-court dinks offer strategic depth, relying solely on them can become predictable.
Interspersing your play with down-the-line dinks keeps your opponents guessing, enhancing the dynamism of your game by necessitating lateral movement and quick adjustments.
3. The Unpredictable Spin Dinks
- Topspin Dinks: These shots add a forward rotation to the ball, causing it to drop swiftly into the non-volley zone and accelerate upon bounce. This unpredictability can catch opponents off guard, leading to mispositioned returns and opening opportunities for point-winning shots.
Check out the video below on how to execute topspin dinks:
- Backspin Dinks: Offering a contrasting strategy, backspin dinks decelerate upon bouncing, creating hesitation and timing challenges for the opponent. The slowed movement post-bounce means opponents must carefully anticipate the ball’s trajectory, often leading to imprecise returns.
What is the Best Time to Use the Dink Shot?
Dink shots typically become a strategic option starting with the fourth shot in pickleball games. Here’s a common sequence of play to understand its timing:
- First Shot: The serve initiates the game.
- Second Shot: The return of serve, usually aimed deep and down the middle to push back the serving team.
- Third Shot: Known as the drop shot. With the receiving team likely positioned at the kitchen line, the serving team executes a drop shot into the kitchen. This allows them to advance to their kitchen line, setting up the next play.
- Fourth Shot: This is where the dink shot comes into play. After a successful drop shot by the serving team, the opposing side may find it challenging to return aggressively. Opting for a dink shot here is often the most prudent choice.
Engaging in a series of back-and-forth dink shots may be necessary until an opening is created for a more forceful shot. This strategic patience allows for the gradual building of a point, waiting for the perfect moment to escalate the intensity and go for a winning play.
Tips to Master Dink Shots
Here’s the best method for hitting a dink shot:
- Select Your Opponents Wisely: Dink shots are particularly effective against aggressive, power-oriented players. By introducing a dink into a high-tempo game, you can disrupt your opponent’s rhythm and pace, shifting the dynamics in your favor.
- Strategic Shot Timing: Dinks are most effective following a drop shot from your opponent. Wait for the ball to bounce, rise to its highest point, and start descending before you make your move. This timing ensures better control and placement of your shot.
- Optimal Grip Technique: For dink shots, an open-faced paddle with a lighter grip enhances precision and softness in your underhand strokes. The continental grip is often recommended for its versatility and control in executing dinks.
- Precise Positioning: Target your dinks just over the net to increase your chances of a successful shot while minimizing errors. This approach pressures your opponent into making challenging returns and potentially committing mistakes.
3 Fun Drills to Practice Dinks
Watch professional pickleball player and coach Will East demonstrate 3 fun dinking drills that will help you master this strategic shot:
Make sure also to check our article on the 3 most common errors when dinking.
Mixing Up Your Dink Shots
Becoming unpredictable in pickleball is key to outmaneuvering your opponents and provoking errors. To achieve this, it’s essential to vary the characteristics of your dink shots, utilizing a range of speeds, spins, and placements.
Here’s how you can mix it up effectively:
- Speed Variations: Adjust the pace of your dinks between slow, medium, and fast to keep opponents guessing.
- Placement Options: Utilize down-the-line, cross-court, and middle placements to challenge your opponents’ positioning.
- Spin Techniques: Alternate between backspin, topspin, and no spin to add complexity to your shots.
Vary your play with these dink shots, and you’ll find yourself with an advantage against your opponent in no time:
- Cross-Court Dinks: Exploit the court’s natural angles, potentially displacing your opponent and disrupting their stance.
- Down-the-Line Dinks: Force lateral movements, particularly effective when alternated with cross-court dinks. This shot may be simpler to execute and strategically advantageous if your opponent is positioned poorly.
- Middle Dinks: Sow confusion among your opponents, especially against less coordinated teams, by targeting the court’s center. This tactic can also serve as a precursor to sideline shots as it draws players inward.
- Low Dinks: Targeting the area near your opponent’s feet applies pressure, making it challenging for them to return aggressively.
- Dink to Backhand: Exploit the common vulnerability in backhand returns by directing your dinks to this area, potentially gaining an upper hand.
By incorporating these variations into your gameplay, you not only make your strategy less predictable but also enhance your chances of gaining the upper hand.
