Around-the-Post Angle Judgment
Also known as: ATP angle read, judging an ATP
Around-the-post angle judgment is the skill of recognizing when a wide ball can legally be hit around the net post — below net height and outside the sideline — rather than over the net.
An around-the-post shot, or ATP, is legal specifically because the ball travels entirely outside the post rather than over the net, meaning it does not need to clear net height at all. Judging when this is realistic requires reading the ball's width and trajectory early: a ball that will land close enough to the sideline and far enough outside the post has a viable ATP angle, while a ball that is only moderately wide does not, no matter how hard it is chased.
The most common misjudgment is committing to an ATP attempt on a ball that is not actually wide enough to clear the post, resulting in either a shot that clips the post or an ordinary reply that could have been played more simply from a proper court position. Because an ATP has to travel around the post rather than over the net, the angle required is often sharper than it first appears from a player's perspective mid-court.
Recognizing a viable ATP angle early — rather than deciding only once already sprinting for the ball — gives a player time to set their feet and swing with control instead of committing to a low-percentage, all-or-nothing lunge. Most high-level players treat the ATP as an opportunistic shot available only a few times a match, not a shot to actively chase.
Example
A ball drifts well wide of the sideline; the player quickly judges the angle is clear of the post and drives it around, low, back into the court.
Why it matters
Correctly judging whether a wide ball has a legal ATP angle — rather than guessing mid-sprint — determines whether a player commits to a viable shot or wastes the point chasing an impossible one.
How it shows up on video
SwingVantage can track ball trajectory relative to the post position, useful after the fact for confirming whether a committed ATP attempt had a genuinely viable angle.
Common mistakes
- Committing to an ATP attempt on a ball that is not actually wide enough to clear the post
- Deciding whether to attempt the shot only mid-sprint rather than reading the angle early
- Chasing every wide ball as a potential ATP rather than reserving it for genuinely clear angles
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if a ball is wide enough for an around-the-post shot?
The ball's path and landing point need to clear the post entirely, which usually requires more width than it first appears from mid-court — reading it early, before sprinting, gives the clearest judgment.
What happens if I misjudge the angle and hit the post?
A ball that clips the post rather than passing cleanly around it is treated as an out-of-bounds shot, so misjudging the angle simply loses the point.
Related terms
- Erne SetupThe erne setup is the positioning and read a player makes before jumping around or through the kitchen to volley a ball outside the sideline, without stepping through the kitchen itself.
- Around-the-Post (ATP)An around-the-post (ATP) is a legal shot hit around the outside of the net post — below or at post height — rather than over the net. It is triggered when a sharply angled ball pulls the player outside the sideline, creating a geometry where going around the post is the only way to return the ball into the opponent's court.
- Dinking AngleDinking angle refers to the direction and sharpness of a dink relative to the net, which determines how much lateral court an opponent must cover to reach the next shot.
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