Common Dinking Errors and How to Stop Making Them
Seven dinking errors that lose points at the kitchen line, with a fix for each and a short practice plan.
Short answer: stay low, keep the wrist quiet, aim for the net’s lowest point, and be patient. The details are below.
1. Standing tall
Dinks are low balls. Stand upright and you must reach down with your arm, which makes the face wobble. Bend your knees, keep your back reasonably straight, and bring your eyes close to the ball.
2. Using the wrist
A flicking wrist changes the paddle angle on every shot. Lock the wrist and swing from the shoulder like a pendulum, short and smooth.
3. Popping the ball up
A dink that rises above the net on its bounce invites an attack. Aim for the ball to peak on your side and settle low in the kitchen. Height is the problem, not pace.
4. Skimming the tape
Netting a dink ends the point immediately. Give yourself margin by aiming a bit higher than feels needed, then let the ball drop.
5. Drifting backward
A long rally makes you want to back up. Each step back opens angles for your opponent and lengthens your own shots. Keep your toes near the line and slide sideways.
6. Dinking straight every time
Crosscourt dinks cross the lowest part of the net and use more of the kitchen. Make them your default and go straight only to change the direction.
7. Speeding up a low ball
Attacking a ball that sits below the net usually pops it up for a put-away. Wait, and only accelerate balls that bounce above net height.
A fifteen-minute plan
- Five minutes of crosscourt dinking while you count consecutive low balls
- Five minutes of dinks straight ahead
- Five minutes of dink and wait, where you may only attack balls that bounce above the net
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