Definition:

“A soft shot hit in or near the kitchen zone from near the kitchen line.” It is worth noting that dinks can also be hit out of the air as volleys as well as off the bounce.

Purpose:

To maintain consistency, refrain from counterproductive attacks, attempt to set up offensive opportunities, and draw errors and poor decisions from the opponents.

Anticipation:

When first learning dinks, it can be acceptable for a player to anticipate the ball being dinked back and forth to find a rhythm and work on mechanics. However, once a player has progressed beyond a basic level, it is important to be prepared to react to faster-paced shots and adjust to shots that are dinked, rather than anticipating dinks and being caught off guard by shots that rush them. Due to the limited reaction time a player has, it is critical to be fully prepared to receive power at all times and not fall into a false sense of security by only anticipating dinks.

Grip:

It is easiest to get underneath the ball on both the forehand and backhand using a continental grip since the paddle angle can be tilted upward comfortably to provide an upward trajectory. It is also easiest to switch back and forth between forehand and backhand with a continental grip.

Positioning:

Maintaining strong, balanced court position is one of the most important elements of learning a consistent dink. A player should become comfortable holding position just behind the kitchen line by learning to play basic volley dinks as well as half-volleys. When moving backward to play the ball off the bounce, an efficient pivot step should be used to create space and maintain balance. It is a common mistake for beginner players to continually retreat off the kitchen line to play the ball off the bounce, which causes unnecessary imbalance and gives up valuable space. Learning to consistently hold position when possible will improve a player’s balance and coordination as well as make their shots more effective.

Ready Position:

A player’s paddle position should rest at a comfortable height around waist level. This prepares them to comfortably drop underneath the ball and lessens the possibility of extending their backswing for dinks. A waist-height ready position still effectively prepares a player to react to any alternative incoming shots, such as speed-ups.

Forehand/Backhand:

A player will typically favor one stroke more than the other and experience more success with that particular wing. It is important for a player to learn both types of strokes proficiently but to continue favoring their preferred stroke as long as it does not cause them to become off-balance or out of position. A player may also experience more or less success with a particular variation of a stroke and can favor their preferred mechanics to increase consistency. If a player gains additional success by hitting a two-handed backhand versus a one-handed backhand or vice versa, they should adopt the stroke they experience the most success with. It is important for a coach to introduce different variations of a particular stroke to provide the greatest opportunity for a player to succeed.

Contact Point:

Contact should ideally be made at a comfortable distance in front of the body. When possible, attempt to make contact with dinks at the peak of their bounce to provide a better hitting angle over the net. Shot options include:

• Volley
• Peak height contact
• Trap dink (half-volley)

Stance:

A good bend in the knees is important to get underneath the low bounce of the ball and to have a good athletic base during the swing. Body weight should be distributed more onto one leg than the other to create a lunge motion rather than an even distribution, which would create a squat. Lunging allows a more efficient lowering to the ball and enables a player to rotate their outside hip more effectively and move into a recovery motion more smoothly. It can be helpful for many players to line up their dink to the inside of their outside leg to establish a consistent point of contact between their feet in a more open stance facing the net.

Movement:

Movement to get into position for the ball should be efficient and balanced to have a stable base to swing from. A player should attempt to adopt footwork patterns that avoid crossing over their feet, keeping an open stance when possible. Steps should be measured to arrive behind the ball within the reaction time available.

Backswing:

The backswing for basic dinks should be compact and simple. It is unnecessary to take an extended backswing when the objective is to have the ball only carry several feet.

Swing Path:

The swing path for basic dinks should be from low to high, whether applying topspin or backspin. How sharply from low to high will depend on the height of contact and the type of spin a player would like to apply to the ball.

Paddle Angle:

It is helpful to favor dropping the tip of the paddle toward the ground to produce a more naturally upward angle to the paddle face and ensure an adequate upward trajectory. How open or closed the paddle face should be depends on the type of stroke a player is attempting to play. A more flattened paddle angle requires a more upward swing path to clear the net and will result in topspin being applied to the ball. A more open-faced paddle angle can result in the same trajectory of the ball when combined with a less sharply upward swing path, which will result in backspin being applied. Both methods are acceptable for basic dinks, provided the player can consistently execute the stroke.

Target Area:

The target zone for dinks should be a part of the court where the ball will bounce. This can be slightly deeper in the court if the opponent is positioned off the kitchen line. This creates more margin for error and makes the shot more difficult for the opponent by pushing them back and hitting closer to their feet. If an opponent is disciplined about holding the kitchen line, the dink should be played to a shallower area of the kitchen to force them to reach for a low volley or take the dink off the bounce. Getting the ball to bounce provides extra reaction time through additional distance and ensures the ball stays below the level of the net to force the opponent to hit upward.

Direction:

• Cross-Court:
  The direction with the greatest margin for error for dinks is cross-court due to the additional distance when hitting on a diagonal and by hitting over the lowest part of the net. This makes cross-court the best option to increase consistency. Cross-court also has the benefit of pulling the opponent further off the court by getting the ball to carry to the outside of the court.
• Middle:
  Dinking the ball to the middle has the benefit of directing the ball over the lowest part of the net and to the open space between the two opponents, forcing them to communicate who will take the shot. Middle also cuts down on available attacking angles for the opposing team, making it a viable place to play defensive dinks. However, there is less distance to hit to than cross-court, and aggressive opponents can control the rally with their forehand from the middle of the court.
• Down-the-Line:
  Hitting dinks down the line provides the least margin for error due to hitting over the highest part of the net and to the shortest distance of the kitchen zone. This makes it important for a player to add additional clearance and soften their dink to achieve consistency in the target area. Playing dinks down the line can be appropriate in specific offensive or defensive situations but carries a heightened risk of error compared to other directions.
• Change-of-Direction:
  Returning the ball back in the direction it was delivered from is the simplest option available to a player. When the paddle face is fully squared up toward the incoming direction of the ball, the natural angle of deflection is back in the direction the ball is coming from. However, changing the direction of the ball can be outweighed by hitting in a direction that provides a greater margin for error. For example, if a dink is delivered down the line to a player, playing the ball cross-court would still be a legitimate option since cross-court hits the ball over a lower part of the net and a longer distance of the court. Conversely, changing direction from cross-court to down the line introduces higher difficulty and risk.

Shot Trajectory:

The trajectory of a dink should vary based on a player’s balance and the height of contact. Ideally, dinks should travel low over the net to ensure they end up low on the other side, but this must be balanced with providing clearance over the net to avoid errors. A balanced player striking a dink from a more elevated contact point should flatten their trajectory for a more aggressive dink. Conversely, an off-balance player or one striking from a low contact point should play a soft dink with additional clearance over the net that lands in a shallower part of the kitchen, ensuring margin for error while remaining effective defensively.

Weight Transfer:

A player should maintain balance and control by transferring body weight forward toward their target. It is a common mistake for players to lean onto their heels when hitting, which makes it more difficult to consistently execute a precise shot like a dink.

Spin:

Minimal intentional spin should be applied to basic dinks. Once a player is proficient at basic dinks, they can begin to apply topspin or slice. Excessive spin should be avoided, as it results in inconsistency and offers little additional benefit.