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Get Thee to the Non-Volley Zone Line!

2/15/2016

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Picture
One of the hardest things for new players to do is get to the non-volley zone (NVZ) line safely when they are serving. When playing doubles, both serving players begin in the backcourt. This gives the opponents an immediate advantage since one of them starts at the NVZ and the other can run up, while you must wait due to the second-bounce rule. Then they usually hit balls long and hard, forcing you remain back.
 
Being as close to the net as possible provides a huge advantage. You don’t have to move as far to hit a ball, as shown in the diagram above: the woman at the net has much less distance to traverse to return the man's shot when she's at the NVZ. You’re also able to hit balls to the back court more easily and safely because you need less power and the angles are better. Finally, from the NVZ you can dink.

But how do you get there safely?

Current wisdom says your third shot should be a drop shot into the NVZ just over the net. Some players ask why, since you'd be inviting the opponent who's in the back court to run up to the NVZ. As I said earlier, chances are she's already done that, and the drop shot allows you time to move up, too. It also softens the game, making it nearly impossible for your opponents to hit a hard drive your way. When executed well, the ball lands low and soft, and your opponents must return the ball softly to make it over the net.

Executing drop shots and dinks well and consistently requires practice. Lots of it. But that practice pays off when you can remove the opponents' advantage and level the play. 

The other thing new players find difficult is to stand right behind the NVZ line with toes almost touching it. They lag back in midcourt or a few feet from the line because they're afraid they might step into the NVZ and volley. With practice, that doesn't happen often, and knowing where the NVZ is becomes a sixth sense. The main reason to stand close to the line is that your opponents can't target your feet. The height of the net makes that impossible when you're close to the line. Stand farther back and your shoes are perfect targets.

​When you are forced into the back court (by a lob, for example) during a rally and your opponents are at the net, you can turn to the drop shot again. Your hit has to be soft enough to bounce low, giving you time to run up again, and to prevent them from slamming the ball back. If you don't feel competent with the drop shot, a lob will also work.

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When and How to Dink

1/10/2015

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One thing you see a lot when watching high-level players that is often missing from other games is the soft game--all that crosscourt dinking at the net. Beginning players tend to avoid the dink, preferring to hit more hard shots, and that's one of the reasons their balls end up in the net or out of bounds more often.

The difficulty is knowing when and how to dink.

If you need to hit a low ball, try a dink, drop shot, or lob. What to do depends on where you are on the court. If you’re close to the non-volley zone line, dink the ball. From further back, try a drop shot that flies low and lands just over the net. If you can’t do either of those, lob the ball high, over your opponent’s head near the baseline.

If you can’t make a good offensive shot, a dink may be a good alternative, especially if your opponents are already in the forecourt. If one or both of your opponents are in the backcourt, however, especially if they are good at dinking, refrain from the dink, since this will only cause them to rush up to the net to play the ball. If your opponents are not good at dinking, or you don’t think they will be able to get to the ball from the backcourt, a dink can be a good play.

The key to good dinking is patience. You must continue to dink until a proper moment appears to execute a different, offensive shot. The best dink shots arc just over the net, landing close to the net on the other side. In doubles, it can be wise to send the dink cross-court because the ball can travel further, reducing the risk that it will travel out of the non-volley zone. Try to maneuver your opponents around the court until one of them makes a mistake, either hitting the ball into the net or high enough that you can make an offensive shot. When this occurs, volley the ball back quickly.

While dinking, it helps to let the ball travel higher before hitting it. Some people say you should hit the ball closer to the ground, citing that its faster motion assists in getting the ball over the net. However, the dink is a soft shot and doesn’t require much energy. Let the ball approach the top of its arc. At that point, you have the option of either hitting another dink or making a fast slap shot if it bounces high enough.

Dink shots have no real speed behind them, so breaking out of dinking requires that you add a little more energy to the hard swing you would normally make (when it’s time).

Don’t back up to play the dink off the bounce when it could be taken in the air. Dinking is done for two reasons: to change the pace of the game and to keep the ball in play until you can end the rally with a put-away shot. When you’re given the opportunity to make the put away, seize it.
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    Gale Leach lives in Arizona with her husband, two dogs, and a cat. When she's not writing pickleball tips, she's working on the second in a new series of novels for young adults and updating The Art of Pickleball.

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