BUILD YOUR DINKING
Crosscourt patience game.
Good dinking is not about winning immediately. It is about making the next ball simpler for you and harder to attack for your opponent.
12 minutes · 2 players · Kitchen line
What this drill builds
Sustain a crosscourt dink exchange while choosing only balls above the net for a change of pace.
Set up
Both players begin at opposite kitchen lines on the same side. Keep every ball crosscourt until a clearly attackable ball appears.
Make the rep useful
Common miss: Attacking a ball below the net just because the rally feels long.
A good rep: Ten crosscourt dinks in a row with both players balanced and connected.
The takeaway
Crosscourt patience gives you more court, more net clearance, and more time—three advantages that make errors less likely.
Progress the drill
Count ten crosscourt dinks before either player can change direction. Then add one option: a player may speed up only from a ball above net height and only if the partner is ready.
Carry it into a game
Use the extra crosscourt space when a kitchen exchange gets tense. A patient ball that resets the pattern is often more valuable than an early attack.