The goal of the dink isn’t just to keep the rally going—it’s to force your opponent to play defense. An “unattackable dink” is one that can’t be volleyed aggressively, one that dies in the kitchen, and one that buys you time to reposition or bait an error. When your dinks are consistently unattackable, you control the rally. When they’re not, you’re one pop-up away from being punished.

Yet most players don’t define or train for this specific kind of dink. They focus on direction (crosscourt vs. middle), but not quality. This is the difference between high-level and intermediate soft game players: the ability to place the ball not just in the kitchen, but deep in the kitchen, below the net height, with no attack angle.

Characteristics of an Unattackable Dink

A truly unattackable dink typically has these features:

• Low trajectory: It clears the net by no more than 6 inches.
• Dies in the kitchen: The ball loses momentum quickly after the bounce, making it hard to volley.
• Hits the court soft: There’s minimal spin or pace, reducing bounce height.
• Targets the feet or sideline: Forces your opponent to lift their paddle or move off balance.

These attributes make it physically and tactically difficult to counterattack, especially during long dink rallies where timing and balance start to erode.

Common Dink Mistakes

Most attackable dinks come from one or more of these errors:

• Too much wrist: Adds unintentional pace or spin.
• Paddle not out front: Leads to poor control and reaction time.
• Standing too upright: Reduces precision and ability to lift softly.
• Swinging too much: The dink should be more of a push or lift—not a swing.

These mistakes introduce variability in ball height and spin, and they often result in dinks that land mid-kitchen or pop up high enough to be attacked.

Technique for the Unattackable Dink

Here’s how to develop a reliable, low, and deadly dink:

• Grip: Use a relaxed continental grip. Tension in the hand = tension in the ball.
• Paddle position: Keep it out in front at all times. This allows better feel and faster adjustments.
• Contact point: Hit the ball just below your waist, slightly in front of your lead foot.
• Motion: Think “push and lift,” not “hit.” The swing path should be minimal.
• Footwork: Adjust your body to the ball—not the other way around. Step into the shot with balance.
• Net clearance: Aim to clear the net by the width of your paddle. That’s it.

Situational Dinking

You don’t need to hit unattackable dinks every time, but you do need to know when they matter most:

• When you’re under pressure: Resets and recovery dinks should be unattackable to slow the pace.
• Against aggressive net players: Prevent them from speeding up by giving them nothing to work with.
• During long rallies: High-quality dinks wear down opponents and open up errors or opportunities.

Mixing in deeper dinks and off-speed dinks is fine, but your base dink should be unattackable by default.

Tactical Advantages

When you master the unattackable dink, here’s what changes:

• You force errors: Opponents get impatient or reach and pop up the ball.
• You control pace: You dictate the rhythm of the rally, slowing the tempo when needed.
• You reduce risk: The less your opponent can attack, the fewer mistakes you’ll make defending.
• You build opportunities: Soft, low dinks often lead to attackable balls for you—not them.

Unattackable dinks are pressure shots. They force your opponent to play perfect soft game over and over again. Most can’t sustain that for more than a few rallies.

Drills to Master It

Add these drills into your routine:

1. Ruler Dink Drill
   • Lay a thin object (like a yardstick) across the top of the net.
   • Your goal: clear it by less than an inch every time.
   • Forces tight net control.
2. Dead Ball Dinks
   • Practice hitting dinks with no spin or pace, just lift.
   • Focus on feel and minimal paddle motion.
3. Dink to a Cone
   • Place a cone or towel 6 inches behind the net.
   • Every dink must land in that target zone.
4. Attack/Defend Rallies
   • One player tries to hit unattackable dinks; the other tries to attack them.
   • Switch roles after each rally.
   • Builds real-world feedback loop.