A Simple Hack to Get More ATPs: Hit Your Dinks Out of the Air

Baiting your opponent into coughing up more ATP balls is an effective offensive tool to add to your arsenal. It’s also just a lot of fun. You’d think that after years of analyzing pickleball strategy, coaches and players would’ve discovered some elaborate, multi-step system to dominate the kitchen. But like anything, it’s often the simplest approaches that prove the most effective.

Like baiting your opponent into giving you more ATP balls, for example. Kevin Dong from Kevin Dong Pickleball just shared one of the most elegant tactical adjustments you can make to achieve this end: hit more dinks out of the air. That’s it. That’s the hack.

Now, before you scroll past thinking you already know this, hear us out. Dong’s insight isn’t just about the mechanics of taking dinks early. It’s about what happens in your opponent’s head when you start doing it consistently. This simple adjustment can transform your offensive game and create opportunities that weren’t there before.

Understanding the ATP Shot for New Players

If you’re relatively new to pickleball, you might be wondering what exactly an ATP shot is and why it matters so much. ATP stands for “Around The Post,” and it’s one of the most exciting shots in pickleball. This shot occurs when the ball travels outside the net post rather than over the net itself, and it’s completely legal as long as the ball lands in your opponent’s court.

The ATP opportunity typically presents itself when you’re pulled wide to the sideline and your opponent has hit a short dink that bounces near the net. Instead of trying to hit the ball back over the net at a difficult angle, you can hit it around the outside of the net post. This shot is thrilling to execute and devastating for opponents because it’s nearly impossible to defend when hit properly.

However, ATP opportunities don’t just appear out of nowhere. You need to create the conditions that allow for this shot. That’s where the strategy of hitting dinks out of the air becomes crucial. By taking dinks early and aggressively, you’re essentially forcing your opponent into positions where they’ll give you these golden opportunities more frequently.

The beauty of this approach is that it works at all skill levels. Whether you’re playing recreational pickleball or competing in tournaments, understanding how to create ATP opportunities will elevate your game significantly.

The Psychology of Margin: How Your Opponent Thinks

Like you, your opponent is always calculating margins during a match. They’re thinking about how much space they have to work with, how much room for error exists in their shot selection, and how much time they have to prepare for your next advance. When you start hitting dinks out of the air, you’re essentially shrinking that perceived margin in their mind.

Dong explains it perfectly in his analysis. “It tricks your opponent into thinking they have less margin so they’ll hit a shorter and shorter dink which will open up the ATP,” says Dong. This is psychological warfare disguised as a technical adjustment. Your opponent doesn’t consciously think, “Oh, they’re taking my dinks early, so I need to adjust.” Instead, they feel the pressure mounting, and their instinct is to play it safer, which means hitting shorter dinks.

And that’s when you strike. The mental game in pickleball is just as important as the physical execution. When you consistently demonstrate that you’re comfortable and capable of attacking dinks out of the air, you’re sending a clear message to your opponent. You’re telling them that they can’t relax, that they need to be more precise, and that any mistake will be punished immediately.

This psychological pressure compounds over time. In the first few rallies, your opponent might not notice the pattern. But after you’ve attacked several dinks out of the air successfully, they start to internalize this threat. They begin to second-guess their shot selection. They start aiming for smaller targets. They become more conservative with their dink placement.

The fascinating thing about this mental adjustment is that it happens almost unconsciously. Your opponent isn’t making a deliberate tactical decision to hit shorter dinks. Rather, they’re responding to the perceived pressure you’re creating. This makes the strategy particularly effective because it’s difficult for opponents to recognize and counteract.

Why This Strategy Actually Works

Hitting an ATP requires your opponent giving you something to attack. You can’t hit this shot at will; you have to set it up first. Most players wait for a high ball or a weak dink. Dong’s approach is different: make your opponent more and more uncomfortable, baiting them into something they may not want to do.

When you’re taking dinks out of the air, you’re accomplishing several tactical objectives simultaneously. First, you’re shortening the rally, which means fewer opportunities for your opponent to set up their ideal shot. Long rallies favor players who are patient and consistent. By taking dinks early, you’re disrupting this rhythm and forcing faster decision-making.

Second, you’re demonstrating confidence and aggression, which can rattle players who prefer to grind from the baseline. Some players are comfortable in extended dink rallies where they can wait for the perfect opportunity. When you attack early and often, you’re taking them out of their comfort zone and forcing them to adapt to your tempo.

Third, and most importantly, you’re forcing your opponent to make a choice: hit the dink higher (which gives you an easier put-away) or hit it shorter (which opens up the ATP). It’s a no-win scenario for them, which is exactly where you want them. This dilemma is what makes the strategy so effective. Your opponent is stuck between two bad options, and whichever choice they make benefits you.

The tactical advantage extends beyond just the immediate rally as well. Once you’ve established this pattern of aggression, your opponents will start adjusting their entire game plan. They might move back from the kitchen line slightly, giving you more court control. They might try to speed up the ball prematurely, leading to unforced errors. They might become tentative with their dinks, making them easier to attack.

All of these adjustments work in your favor. You’re not just winning individual points with this strategy; you’re reshaping the entire dynamic of the match. For players looking to improve their game strategy, this approach offers a clear pathway to more offensive opportunities.

The Execution: Putting Theory into Practice

Now, the tricky part isn’t understanding the concept. It’s actually doing it well. Taking dinks out of the air requires timing, footwork, and court positioning. You can’t just flail at every dink that comes your way. You need to be selective and intentional about which dinks you’re attacking.

The best players make it look effortless, but there’s definitely a learning curve. You’ll probably mishit a few, pop some up, and give your opponent easy put-aways while you’re learning. That’s normal and expected. Don’t let these early mistakes discourage you from continuing to develop this skill.

The key is consistency. Once your opponent realizes you’re genuinely threatening to take dinks out of the air, they’ll start adjusting their game. That’s when the real advantage kicks in. They’re no longer playing their game; they’re playing yours. This shift in control is subtle but powerful.

Let’s break down the specific technical elements you need to focus on when executing this strategy. First, your ready position is crucial. You need to be on your toes, weight slightly forward, paddle up and in front of you. This athletic stance allows you to react quickly when a dinkable ball comes your way.

Second, your footwork needs to be crisp and efficient. You can’t be flat-footed and expect to successfully attack dinks out of the air. Small, quick steps allow you to adjust your positioning and get into the optimal striking position. Think of it like a boxer moving around the ring—constant small adjustments rather than large, committed movements.

Third, your paddle position and angle are critical. When taking a dink out of the air, you want to have your paddle face slightly open (tilted upward) to control the ball and keep it low over the net. Too closed, and you’ll hit it into the net. Too open, and you’ll pop it up for an easy counter-attack.

Fourth, your contact point should be out in front of your body. Reaching forward allows you to take the ball earlier, which is the entire point of this strategy. If you’re making contact beside your body or behind you, you’ve waited too long and lost the advantage of taking the ball out of the air.

Finally, your follow-through should be smooth and controlled. This isn’t a power shot; it’s a placement shot. You’re not trying to blast the ball past your opponent. You’re trying to place it in a position that creates difficulty for them or opens up the ATP opportunity.

Learning from Professional Techniques

Professional players have long understood the value of taking dinks out of the air, and watching high-level matches can provide valuable insights into how to execute this strategy effectively. The pros don’t wait for the perfect opportunity; they create opportunities through aggressive positioning and early ball-striking.

What separates recreational players from professionals in this area is not just technical skill but tactical awareness. Professional players are constantly reading their opponents’ body language, court position, and shot patterns. They anticipate where the next dink is going and position themselves accordingly. This anticipation allows them to take more dinks out of the air because they’re already moving toward the ball before their opponent has even made contact.

Another lesson from professional play is the importance of variety. The best players don’t attack every single dink out of the air. They mix it up, sometimes letting balls bounce, sometimes taking them early. This variety keeps opponents guessing and prevents them from adjusting to a predictable pattern. The threat of taking the ball early is sometimes just as effective as actually doing it.

Professional players also understand court geometry better than most recreational players. They know that certain court positions make taking dinks out of the air more advantageous. For example, if you’re positioned slightly to the left or right of center, taking a dink early can create a sharper angle that’s more difficult for your opponent to defend. Understanding these geometric advantages can help you choose which dinks to attack and which to let bounce.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

While the strategy of hitting dinks out of the air is relatively straightforward, there are several common mistakes that players make when trying to implement it. Being aware of these pitfalls can help you avoid them and accelerate your learning process.

The first mistake is being too aggressive too early. If you try to attack every dink from the very first rally, you’ll likely make a lot of errors and give your opponent easy points. Instead, start by taking one or two dinks out of the air per game. As you become more comfortable with the technique, you can gradually increase the frequency.

The second mistake is poor shot selection. Not every dink should be taken out of the air. If a dink is too low, too far away, or hit with heavy spin, it might be better to let it bounce and then respond. Learning to recognize which dinks are attackable comes with experience, but a general rule is that if you have to reach or lunge significantly to make contact, it’s probably not the right ball to attack.

The third mistake is hitting too hard. When players first start taking dinks out of the air, they often try to hit winners immediately. This leads to balls sailing out of bounds or popping up for easy counter-attacks. Remember, the goal isn’t necessarily to end the point immediately. The goal is to create pressure and force your opponent into hitting shorter dinks that set up ATP opportunities.

The fourth mistake is neglecting court positioning. Taking dinks out of the air requires you to be in the right position on the court. If you’re standing too far back from the kitchen line, you won’t be able to reach balls early enough. If you’re leaning too far forward, you’ll be off-balance and unable to control your shots effectively. Finding that optimal position—typically right at or just behind the kitchen line—is essential for consistent execution.

Bringing It All Together

What makes Dong’s insight so valuable is that it’s simple enough to implement immediately, but sophisticated enough to create real competitive advantages. You don’t need to overhaul your entire game. You don’t need new equipment or a complete tactical realignment. You just need to be more aggressive with your dink game and trust that your opponent will respond predictably.

Taking dinks out of the air with purpose and precision is a skill that forces your opponent to respect your game and opens up the ATP opportunities you’ve been waiting for. It’s a strategy that works because it combines technical execution with psychological pressure, creating a compound effect that becomes increasingly difficult for opponents to handle.

The next time you’re on the court, try it. Pick a few dinks to attack early in the rally. Watch how your opponent reacts. Notice how they start hitting shorter, more defensive dinks. And then capitalize on those opportunities. You might just find that this simple hack becomes one of your most effective weapons.

As you develop this skill, pay attention to the patterns that emerge. You’ll start to notice that certain opponents respond more predictably than others. Some players will adjust quickly, while others will continue to feed you attackable balls throughout the match. This information becomes part of your tactical toolkit, allowing you to customize your approach based on who you’re playing against.

The beauty of this strategy is that it scales with your skill level. A 3.0 player can use this approach just as effectively as a 4.5 player—the execution might look different, but the underlying principle remains the same. As you improve your overall pickleball skills, your ability to take dinks out of the air will improve correspondingly, making this a strategy that grows with you.

Remember that pickleball is as much a mental game as it is a physical one. By understanding how your actions affect your opponent’s decision-making process, you can create advantages that go beyond pure shot-making ability. The simple act of taking dinks out of the air more frequently sends a message, creates pressure, and forces adjustments that ultimately benefit your game.

For players interested in diving deeper into advanced pickleball techniques, this strategy represents an excellent starting point. It’s specific enough to practice deliberately, but broad enough to have applications across many different game situations. Whether you’re working on your singles game or improving your doubles play, the ability to take dinks out of the air aggressively will serve you well.

Practice Drills and Implementation

Understanding the theory behind taking dinks out of the air is one thing; actually developing the skill is another. Here are some practical ways to incorporate this strategy into your practice sessions and build the muscle memory needed for consistent execution during matches.

Start with a simple drill with a practice partner. Have them feed you dinks from across the net while you focus exclusively on taking them out of the air. Don’t worry about placement or strategy at first—just work on making clean contact with balls before they bounce. This builds the fundamental timing and paddle control you need.

Once you’re comfortable with basic contact, add a target. Place cones or markers in specific areas of the court and try to direct your volleys toward these targets. This develops the precision needed to not just take balls out of the air, but to place them strategically where they create problems for your opponents.

Progress to live dinking rallies where you give yourself permission to attack one out of every five dinks. This ratio prevents you from being overly aggressive while still giving you regular opportunities to practice the skill in a more game-like situation. As you become more proficient, you can increase the frequency of attacks.

Finally, implement the strategy in actual games, but start in lower-pressure situations. Use it during recreational play or practice matches before bringing it into competitive situations. This allows you to develop confidence in the technique without the stress of important points hanging in the balance.

The Long-Term Benefits

Beyond the immediate tactical advantages of creating more ATP opportunities, developing the habit of taking dinks out of the air provides several long-term benefits for your overall game development. This skill set transfers to other areas of pickleball and contributes to becoming a more complete, well-rounded player.

First, it improves your hand-eye coordination and reaction time. The ability to track a ball and make contact before it bounces requires sharp visual processing and quick motor responses. These skills benefit every aspect of your game, from returning serves to defending against fast drives.

Second, it develops your