James Ignatowich’s Dead Dink Drill: Professional pickleball player James Ignatowich shared a simple but effective drill to help players deal with tough dink shots during doubles matches. His focus is on using the “dead dink,” a shot that lands softly and very short in the kitchen area, helping players reset the point and get back to even ground.
Understanding the Dead Dink
James Ignatowich explained that a dead dink is a soft, shallow shot that lands close to the net in a part of the kitchen called the “kitchenette.” This shot is not meant to win the point but to slow the game down. It gives players time to recover and improve their position.
“So what a dead dink is—is a ball that’s very short over the net, bouncing in what some players or people call the ‘kitchenette,’ the very short part of the kitchen, almost halfway between the net and the kitchen line. And it’s meant to just completely neutralize things, just to get yourself back in the point—hopefully back to 50/50.”-(James Ignatowich)
Drill to Practice Dead Dinking
James Ignatowich described a drill to improve this skill. He takes his usual position on the left side of the court, facing the net. His goal during the drill is to land each shot softly in the middle of the kitchenette.
His partner plays the role of the challenger by hitting aggressive dinks to the left side of the court—about 60 percent of the total kitchen area. These shots land deep, around the kitchen line, and force James Ignatowich to move quickly.
“So, any dink—that would be my job to cover when I’m playing doubles—he can hit it to probably 60% of the court in that area. He’s going to be hitting aggressive, biting dinks that are going to be landing around the kitchen line, maybe even an inch deeper than the kitchen line.”-(James Ignatowich)
James Ignatowich focuses on staying low and reacting quickly. He often short-hops the ball or takes it out of the air before it bounces. The goal is to send the ball back just an inch over the net with little speed or spin.
“I’m just going to be moving side to side, short-hopping the ball, maybe taking some of them out of the air, trying to hit them as shallow as possible—just an inch over the net—as dead as possible, almost exaggerating how short and dead those dinks are.” -(James Ignatowich)
Why This Drill Matters
The dead dink helps players recover during fast-paced rallies. It resets the pace and gives both teams an equal chance in the rally. By practicing this drill, players learn to stay calm and in control when under pressure.
This drill is beneficial in doubles games where court coverage and timing are key. James Ignatowich’s method offers a smart way to train for real match situations and improve consistency in soft shots.
News in Brief: James Ignatowich’s Dead Dink Drill
James Ignatowich shared a drill to practice the “dead dink,” a soft shot that resets pickleball rallies. He uses it to stay in the game and improve control. Practicing short, shallow dinks in the “kitchenette” can help players stay balanced and handle pressure better during doubles matches.
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