Why Your Dinks Keep Going Into the Net — Complete Fix
Summary
Universal Rackets (Tyler) breaks down why dinks go into the net and how to fix it. Net dinks are never random. They come from three causes: a paddle face that’s too closed, decelerating into the dink, and making contact too low or too late.
The fixes: open the paddle face slightly (not wide open) because the ball goes where the face points and a dink has to travel up over the net; keep the paddle moving at the same smooth speed, like a push or an underhand toss, and finish with the paddle out in front touching your non-dominant hand so you’re ready for a speed-up; and take the ball early, out in front and slightly higher, instead of letting it drop to your feet. He’d rather you miss a little high than into the net, since a net ball is a guaranteed lost point. Start dinking with more net clearance and lower it as you gain confidence.
Key takeaways
- A closed paddle face sends dinks into the net, so open it slightly
- Decelerating at contact drops the ball short; keep a smooth, constant swing speed
- Finish with the paddle out in front, touching your non-dominant hand, ready for the next ball
- Take the dink early, in front of your body, before it drops too low
- Miss high rather than into the net, and lower your net clearance gradually
Action items
- Before each dink, check that your paddle face isn’t pointing at the ground
- Toss balls underhand to feel a constant-speed push, then dink with the same rhythm
- After every dink, touch your paddle to your non-dominant hand
- Dink with a partner focusing on meeting the ball early and out front
- Start with higher net clearance and lower it only when you’d bet on making it