What is ATP Shot in Pickleball

Have you ever thought of experimenting more than dink, drop, Ernie or spin shots in Pickleball?

If not then you should. If you follow the professionals like Ben Johns, you must have noticed a wide range of shots being played during tournaments, like this recent one ATP at PPA tournament for clinching the game point. 

So What Exactly Is an ATP Shot?

The ATP (Around The Post) is a move where the player hits the ball around the net post. It has to be around, not over the net or post. The ball should land inside the opponent’s court. 

However the player has to be cautious of not invading into the opponent’s space after hitting this shot.

The official 2025 USA Pickleball Rulebook cites the ATP shot and related rules as below.

Rule 11.M. Shots Around the Net Post. 

A player may return the ball around the outside of the net post. 

11.M.1. The ball does not need to travel back over the net. 

11.M.2. There is no restriction on the height of the return, meaning a player may return the ball around the net post below the height of the net. 

When is it a valid ATP shot?

1. The ball travels from outside the post without touching the net or post.
2. It lands inside the opponent’s court area.
3. The height of the shot can be higher or lower than that of the net.

How To Execute a Perfect ATP

For hitting ATP, you need to be aware of the incoming ball’s trajectory. ATP can be hit if the incoming ball is going wide outward.

That’s your opportunity to execute ATP. You can either create this opportunity by forcing the opponent to play the wider shots (this requires a lot of skill) or just go with the flow of the game and wait for opportunity. 

In any case, once you anticipate the ball going wide, be ready for executing ATP.

Prerequisites for ATP:

1. Be in a ready position, i.e., keep your knees bent.
2. Maintain the light continental grip on the paddle. Hold the paddle at 4 out of 10 grip strength.
3. Hit the ball by slightly opening the face of the paddle and flicking your wrist softly.
4. Don’t put power in the shot as it will bounce the ball away.
5. Aim for cross-court shots and get back to your position quickly.

Check out this short video of ATP Shot.

ATP Shot Drills for Beginner

1. Stand outside the court line and ask your partner to pass wider dinks towards you.
2. Try hitting ATP shots from that position. Remember to be in a ready position while hitting shots.
3. It helps to target a small area in the opponent’s court where you are going to aim your shot.

ATP Shot drills for Advanced Players How to practice ATP shot

1. Start with cross-court dinks with your partner. 
2. Ask them to start with simple dinks and guide you with wider shots. 
3. Go for ATP whenever you find the shot wide enough.

Advanced players can practice by adding lateral footwork drills in addition to above.

If you are an advanced player, you can try to add spin to ATP shots to make it unbeatable.

When is ATP useful?

Hitting effective ATP is all about anticipating the right incoming shot. 

If you see the sharp cross-court dink incoming that is forcing you toward the outline, that’s the perfect opportunity for executing ATP.  When the incoming ball bounces too low to return it high, you can easily score a point if you execute ATP smartly.

During the 2025 US Open Pickleball Championship Anna Leigh Waters and Ben Johns have extensively used this shot adding to its popularity.

The ATP is yet another important shot worth adding to your skill. Old Pickleball used to be a relaxed laid out vibe game. Today’s Pickleball demands athleticism and constant upgrade of style if you want to grow. It is still accessible and fun for all age groups.