In pickleball, control of the kitchen often decides control of the game. Many players spend endless hours practicing crosscourt dinks — and while they’re important, it’s the middle of the court that often holds the real advantage.
The middle dink is one of the most underused and misunderstood shots in recreational play. When used correctly, it forces opponents into awkward decisions, creates easy attack opportunities, and breaks predictable patterns. It doesn’t take fancy spin or power. It just takes a little precision and smart timing.
Here’s how to master three simple middle dink techniques that will change how you control the court.
Why the Middle Dink Is So Important
There’s a reason coaches often say, “Work the middle.”
- It creates confusion. In doubles, two players are sharing responsibility for the center. A well-placed middle dink makes them second-guess who should take the ball — leading to hesitation or even collisions.
- It targets weaker backhands. For most players, the backhand side is less reliable, and that’s usually where the middle ball falls.
- It breaks crosscourt rhythm. Crosscourt dinks can go on forever if nobody changes it up. Attacking the middle disrupts timing and forces a response.
- It opens the sidelines. Once opponents are worried about covering the middle, they leave the sidelines exposed — giving you easy angles to attack later.
Mastering the middle dink doesn’t just earn you points; it creates opportunities you wouldn’t have otherwise.
Technique 1: Aim for the Opponents’ Feet at the Middle
The first and simplest way to exploit the middle is to send your dink straight into the gap between the opponents — low and soft, landing right around their feet.
How to Do It
- Grip softly: Hold the paddle with a relaxed grip to keep the ball low.
- Use a short backswing: Keep your paddle movement compact and controlled.
- Visualize your landing spot: Imagine a landing strip right down the center of the kitchen, about three feet past the net.
- Focus on trajectory: Clear the net by a few inches, not feet.
You’re not trying to hit a winner here. You’re trying to create a difficult shot that forces miscommunication or a weak pop-up.
Mistakes to Watch For
- Hitting too high: If your dink floats, it becomes attackable.
- Hitting too short: If it clips the net, you lose the point outright.
- Drifting wide: A ball drifting toward a sideline removes the pressure you intended to create.
Drill to Practice
- Place a cone or towel at the center of the opponent’s kitchen line.
- From your side, practice dinking the ball to land as close to the target as possible.
- Alternate forehand and backhand dinks to build versatility.
Technique 2: Move Opponents with Angled Middle Dinks
Once you can reliably find the middle, the next level is moving your opponents slightly off balance by angling your middle dinks just a little left or right.
Instead of aiming directly between the two players, send the ball slightly toward one player’s backhand hip — but still within the “middle zone.”
How to Do It
- Prepare normally: Set up like you’re hitting a straight middle dink.
- Angle at the last moment: Slightly adjust your paddle face to direct the ball left or right.
- Control your body: Stay balanced and avoid overreaching.
The goal is to stretch one opponent just enough to make them reach awkwardly without fully stepping out of position.
Mistakes to Watch For
- Over-angling: Pushing the ball too far sideways turns it into a crosscourt dink, losing the confusion effect.
- Losing balance: Overextending to reach for sharp angles can leave you exposed to a counterattack.
- Telegraphing: Shifting your stance early tells your opponents you’re changing direction.
Drill to Practice
- Set up two cones about three feet apart at the kitchen centerline.
- Practice dinking softly between them, alternating slightly left and right.
- Focus on staying relaxed and balanced through each shot.
Technique 3: Disguise Your Dink Direction Until the Last Second
A truly devastating middle dink doesn’t just land in a good spot — it catches your opponents by surprise.
By disguising your intent until the very last moment, you make it nearly impossible for opponents to read and react in time.
How to Do It
- Set up for a crosscourt dink: Everything in your body language — stance, paddle position, footwork — should suggest you’re going crosscourt.
- Delay the change: Keep your paddle path going straight longer.
- Adjust late: Just before contact, slightly open your paddle face to send the ball toward the middle instead.
Your opponents see the beginning of a crosscourt shot, shift slightly, and are caught out of position when the ball drifts middle.
Mistakes to Watch For
- Showing too early: If you adjust your paddle face before swinging, opponents can read it.
- Overcorrecting: Trying too hard to redirect the ball can cause mishits or send it too flat.
- Forcing it: If the ball isn’t in a good spot for a disguised shot, it’s better to stick with a simple dink.
Drill to Practice
- Play a guessing game with a partner.
- From a standard dink rally, randomly choose to go crosscourt or middle.
- Your partner tries to guess your target before you make contact.
- If they guess wrong, you score a point.
This builds the habit of delaying your decision and disguising your intent naturally.
Common Overall Mistakes When Targeting the Middle
Even with good technique, players sometimes struggle with middle dinks because of these issues:
- Being too cautious: Fearing mistakes often results in tentative, short dinks that don’t create pressure.
- Floating the ball: Giving the opponents too much time to react turns your middle dink into an easy volley.
- Forgetting court position: After forcing opponents wide or backward, remember to reset your own position quickly for the next shot.
Awareness and consistent practice solve most of these problems.
How to Know When to Dink Middle During a Rally
Middle dinks aren’t random — they’re based on cues:
- Opponent hesitation: If you see a glance or last-second lunge between opponents, the middle is open.
- Poor positioning: If your opponents are standing too far apart or overlapping awkwardly.
- Midpoint fatigue: During long dink rallies, players’ footwork breaks down. That’s when the middle gap opens wider.
If you recognize any of these signs, it’s the perfect moment to send the ball between them.
Final Thoughts: Master the Middle, Master the Match
You don’t need flashy shots to win more points. Smart dinking — especially into the middle — creates chaos on the other side of the court.
By mastering these three techniques:
- Aiming for the opponents’ feet,
- Moving them subtly off balance with angled middle dinks,
- And disguising your intent until the last second,
You’ll gain a huge advantage without changing your game dramatically.
Control the middle, and you control the kitchen. Control the kitchen, and you control the match.
