play
Dink dance
How strong players dink: both pairs move with the ball, the partner closes the middle, and one side is pushed wider until the ball sits up.
P1 and P2 play together, against P3 and P4. Press play to watch it, or step through it one shot at a time; the step on the court is highlighted below.
1 / 8Open in whiteboard
- A neutral dink rally. P1 has the ball; every player is a step behind the kitchen line.
- Dink by P1: P1 dinks cross-court to P4. P3 slides over to keep the middle closed; P1 and P2 shift to face P4.
- Dink by P4: P4 sends it back cross-court. Both pairs move with the ball, never more than 8–9 ft apart.
- Dink by P1: P1 pushes it wider to P4's side. P4 steps out to stay in front of it; P3 follows into the middle.
- Dink by P4: P4 resets it cross-court. P1 meets it in front, not reaching.
- Dink by P1: Wider again: P4 is pulled out past the sideline, and P3 closes the middle behind. P1 and P2 lean right with the ball.
- Dink by P4: Stretched, P4 can only lift it, and it pops up over the middle. P1, who has been closing the middle, takes it out of the air.
- Put-away by P1: P1 puts it away between P4, still on the way back, and P3. The push won the point; covering the middle is what let P1 cash it.
Shots in this play
- Dink
- Put-away
Where it comes up
- Lesson: Dink patience
Make it your own
Open it in the whiteboard to watch it full size, then make a copy and move the players to fit how your team plays.