Do you want to learn how to dink like a pro?

In this video/blog, we’re going to cover a great dinking game that we do every time we get to the courts before we start playing full doubles games.

This game will have you dinking like a pro in no time.

Overview

There are two variations of this game.

The first is dinks only so that you can learn to really work your opponents at the NVZ line and practice dinks that are not attackable.

The second is to put your dinking skills and fast hands to the test and is played at full speed with lots of dinks to start.

These are two of our favorites that we do all the time.

Drill

Today we’re going to go over a drill that I like to do when I first get to the court and you’re not warmed up yet.  I call this a game to five.

Version 1 – Dinks Only

We’re just going to play dinks from the non-volley zone.  Your dinks don’t have to land in the kitchen. They can land past the kitchen.

We’re going to play half of the court.  The sidelines would be out and then if there was an imaginary line through the kitchen, that would be out.

We’re going to play all dinks. Nothing hard, no hard shots. We’re going to try to move the ball around and go to five points.

We’re going to keep the rally going as long as we can.

You want to play to five. This is a really good drill to do to get your dinks warmed up and you would really want to concentrate on leaning forward, catching every ball out in front and trying to move your opponent around.

I’m not always going down the line or cross-court. I’m going to try to move them left and right and I’m also hitting short dinks as well as trying to mix it up with deep dinks, so that I force them to make that decision,  whether to let it bounce or to volley in the air.  

This drill helps you really dial in your dinks and I’m trying to make him reach. I’m moving him left and right, forehand and backhand and also just trying to make him hit behind him.

Go ahead and go practice it. Play the five points and then also if you have other people with you, make a game out of it. You can do a mini tournament of this.

Version 2 – Anything Goes

Now after you guys have played a few games to five points, hitting nothing hard, just all dinks, all soft shots, now you guys could play the point live.

We’re going to play the same thing, so five points. But now. if there’s going to be a little bit higher balls, we could attack them and speed up the point just like in a real match.

We will play the five points again. Now this where everything goes. You could lob or you could drive or volley or hit hard ball at anytime after starting with a dink feed.  Look for that ball to be lifted and go for it.

Games to 5 is a great way to drill your dinks so that you can dink like a pro in no time.

Happy Pickeling!

Get our free 3rd shot course here! –> 3rd Shot Drop Course