Pickleball Glossary
Learn the language of Pickleball — answer-first definitions with real examples, beginner to pro.
19 terms
- Around-the-Post (ATP)AdvancedAn around-the-post, universally shortened to ATP, is a legal shot played around the outside of the net post rather than over the net, at any height at all. It arises when a sharply angled ball pulls a player outside the sideline. This leaves the outside route as the only way back into the opponent's court.
- Around-the-Post Angle JudgmentAdvancedAround-the-post angle judgment is the skill of recognizing when a wide ball can legally be hit around the net post. This means below net height and outside the sideline. Instead of over the net.
- Ball Speed LegalityAdvancedOnly balls that pass an official approval process. This means meeting standardized bounce, hardness, and durability testing. This means are legal for sanctioned tournament play, similar to how paddles are certified.
- Counter AttackAdvancedA counter attack is a controlled offensive response to an opponent's speed-up or flick, redirecting their pace back at them before they can reset.
- Counter Speed-UpAdvancedA counter speed-up is an immediate return of pace on an opponent's speed-up attempt. This involves redirecting their own attacking shot back with equal or greater speed rather than blocking it.
- Dead Dink (No-Bounce Slow Roll)AdvancedA dead dink is a dink hit with. As a result, little forward momentum that it barely clears the net and dies almost immediately on the bounce, denying the opponent any rhythm or pace to work with.
- ErneAdvancedAn Erne is an aggressive shot where a player jumps or runs around the outside of the kitchen to volley a ball beside the net post, legally contacting it outside the non-volley zone for an unexpected, sharp-angled winner.
- Erne SetupAdvancedThe 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.
- Fifth Shot PatternAdvancedThe fifth shot pattern refers to the serving team's planned response on the fifth shot of the rally. This means typically a drop or drive based on what the fourth-shot return produces.
- Flick AttackAdvancedA flick attack is a sudden, wrist-driven acceleration on a mid-height dink that catches the opponent off guard with a sharp speed-up to the shoulder or hip.
- Hands BattleAdvancedA hands battle is a rapid-fire exchange at the kitchen line where both teams speed up and counter-attack in quick succession. This means won through reaction speed, paddle readiness, and placement under pressure.
- Roll ShotAdvancedA roll shot is a groundstroke or mid-court shot hit with heavy topspin. As a result, the ball dips sharply into the opponent's feet as they advance. This prevents a clean reset.
- Roll VolleyAdvancedA roll volley is a topspin-imparting volley hit at the kitchen line that dips sharply at the opponent's feet, making it difficult to reset.
- Shake and BakeAdvancedShake and bake is a doubles strategy where one partner drives the third shot hard. At the same time, the other charges the kitchen line, ready to poach and put away any weak block the opponents return.
- Speed-Up DinkAdvancedA speed-up dink is an abrupt increase in pace on a ball that has risen above net height during a dink rally, converting a soft exchange into a firm, attacking shot with minimal backswing.
- Splitting the Transition ZoneAdvancedSplitting the transition zone refers to timing a small, balanced hop or pause partway through the advance from baseline to kitchen, right before the opponent's shot, rather than advancing in one continuous run.
- StackingAdvancedStacking is a doubles strategy where both players position on the same side of the court before the serve or return, then slide to their preferred sides after the ball is in play. This means overriding the score-dictated positions to keep both forehands covering the middle.
- Third Shot LobAdvancedA third shot lob is a high, arcing shot used as the serving team's third shot instead of the more common drop or drive, aimed over the returning team. At the same time, they are still at or near the baseline.
- Topspin DinkAdvancedA topspin dink adds forward spin to a kitchen-line dink. As a result, it dips quickly after crossing the net and kicks up on the bounce. This makes it harder to reset cleanly.
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