6 Names of Rally Shots
Jerry Loflin
As pickleball has evolved, so have the types of rally shots players use during games and matches. Most players rely on various types of rally shots during games and matches. Being able to hit various types of rally shots allows players to place their opponent in physically challenging situations while avoiding the same challenging situations themselves.
Some of the more common rally shots used in pickleball are the drive shot, the lob shot, the drop shot, the dink, and the smash.
Drive Shot – The drive shot is typically hit using a groundstroke from either the forehand side or backhand side. Most drive shots originate from the mid-to-backcourt area of the court. A well-hit drive shot will travel parallel to the playing surface with just enough height to go over the pickleball net and enough force to push the opponent back to their baseline. Most drive shots result in a fast, low-bouncing ball requiring your opponent to use a low groundstroke to return the shot. Drive shots are good shots to use in both doubles and singles matches.
Lob Shot – A rally shot that has lost some popularity over the last decade is the lob shot. Similar to the drive, the lob shot is usually hit using a groundstroke from either the forehand or backhand side. A player can hit a lob shot from anywhere on their side of the court. When a lob shot is hit well, it will travel away from the hitting surface over the head(s) of any opponent(s) playing near the net eventually turning back to the playing surface landing just inside the opponent’s baseline. A good lob shot will force your opponent to move to or stay at their baseline while encouraging your opponent to use their groundstrokes.
Drop Shot – The drop shot is a rally shot that is commonly hit with both a groundstroke and a volley technique (i.e., a drop volley) using a forehand or backhand motion. A player can hit a drop shot from anywhere on their side of the court. A well-hit drop shot will apex on the hitter’s side of the court maximizing the balls angle at which it crosses the net. The major identifying characteristic of a drop shot is that it barely clears the height of the net and lands in the opponent’s non-volley zone as close to the opponent’s side of the net as possible. A player with an effective drop shot usually has good touch and ball control.
Dink – A commonly used rally shot in doubles matches is a special drop shot called a dink. To hit a dink, the ball must first bounce in the hitter’s non-volley zone. The hitter then proceeds to use a groundstroke (forehand or backhand) to carefully hit the ball over the net with enough force to land in the opponent’s non-volley zone as close to the opponent’s side of the net as possible. Like the drop shot, a dink requires touch and ball control.
Smash – The smash is a shot of opportunity. Not all balls can be smashed but when a ball can be smashed, players should take full advantage. Occasionally, an opponent might mishit a ball, where the ball travels high over the net and shows signs of bouncing in the mid-court area. Such a mishit will typically result in a smash from the opponent. When a player hits a smash well, the ball will travel quickly over the net with a sharp, angled flight path to the opponent’s side of the playing surface. Most smashes are hit using an overhand, volley technique. Even though most players will use a forehand motion when smashing a ball, a backhand motion is also a hitting option.
The following video demonstrates the use of a dink shot during a game, along with a lob shot that strategically pushes the opponent into the backcourt.
The next video illustrates how a poorly executed lob can set up a smash by the opponent. It also showcases the execution of a drop shot and a drive.
