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Around-the-Post (ATP)
Also known as: ATP
An around-the-post is a legal shot hit around the outside of the net post — below net height — when a wide-angled ball pulls you off the court. There’s no rule the ball must travel over the net.
When a sharply angled crosscourt dink or drive draws you wide, the ball can be returned around the post rather than over the net, often landing for a winner because the opponents don’t expect it and it can stay very low. It’s one of pickleball’s most spectacular shots and rewards players who chase wide balls instead of conceding them.
Example
Pulled wide by a sharp crosscourt dink, the player rips an ATP around the outside of the post that skims low for a winner.
Related terms
- DinkA dink is a soft, controlled shot hit from near the kitchen line that arcs just over the net and lands in the opponent’s kitchen, forcing them to hit up.
- Speed-UpA speed-up is suddenly attacking a dink or slow ball by driving it hard at the opponents, changing the pace to force a reflex error during a soft kitchen exchange.
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