If you've ever watched a pro pickleball match and seen a player suddenly leap sideways over the kitchen line to crush a ball mid-air — or whip a forehand around the outside of the net post that lands in for a clean winner — you've witnessed the two most exciting shots in pickleball: the Erne and the ATP (Around-the-Post).
Both look like magic. Both feel impossible. And both are completely legal, learnable, and surprisingly logical once you understand the geometry behind them. In this guide, we'll break down what each shot is, when to use it, the rules that make it work, and the drills that will let you start pulling them off in real games.
What Is the Erne?
The Erne (pronounced "ernie") is named after Erne Perry, a player who popularized the shot in the early 2000s. It's a poaching move where you intercept a dink or low ball at the net while standing outside the non-volley zone (the kitchen).
Here's the key: the kitchen is a 7-foot zone, but it only extends to the sidelines. The area beyond the sideline, next to the net, is fair game for a volley. The Erne exploits this. By either jumping over the kitchen corner or stepping around it onto the area beside the kitchen, you can legally volley a ball that's traveling close to the net — usually a cross-court dink your opponent thought was safe.
Done right, the Erne is devastating. You're hitting a ball that's still high from a position where your opponent can't reach the return. It almost always ends the point.
The Rules That Make the Erne Legal
- Your feet must be outside the kitchen when you make contact. They can be beyond the sideline (in the area next to the net) or in the air — but if any part of your foot touches the kitchen during or immediately after the volley, it's a fault.
- You cannot touch the net, the net post, or your opponent's side of the court.
- Momentum matters: if you jump and land in the kitchen after the volley, that's still a fault. You must land outside the kitchen line.
- You can enter the area beside the kitchen at any time — there's no rule against being there. The kitchen rule only applies to the rectangle between the sidelines.
What Is the ATP (Around-the-Post)?
The ATP is the cousin of the Erne — same theatrics, different geometry. It's a shot you hit around the outside of the net post, sending the ball low and wide, completely bypassing the net.
Yes, it's legal. There is no rule in pickleball that requires the ball to travel over the net. As long as the ball lands in your opponent's court, an ATP counts as a clean winner — and it can be hit at any height, even below the net tape, because you're not going over the net at all.
ATPs typically happen on sharp cross-court dinks that pull a player wide. The angle of the bounce sends the ball so far outside the sideline that going over the net is no longer the fastest path back — going around the post is. The shot ends up being a low, angled drive that lands inside the far sideline before your opponent can recover.
When the ATP Becomes Available
You can't force an ATP. It opens up when:
- Your opponent hits a wide cross-court dink that has aggressive angle.
- The ball bounces and travels outside the sideline at a low height.
- You can reach the ball at a comfortable contact point beside the net post.
If the ball is going to land in front of the post (closer to the kitchen), going over the net is faster. The ATP is only the right play when the ball is already past the post's plane.
Erne vs. ATP: When to Choose Which
Both shots come from cross-court dink rallies, but they're answers to different situations:
- Erne: Your opponent dinks predictably cross-court and you can anticipate it. You move into position before they hit the ball, then volley it out of the air.
- ATP: Your opponent hits a great wide-angled dink that pulls you off the court. You can't volley it — you have to let it bounce — and the geometry of the bounce gives you the opportunity to send it around the post.
The Erne is a planned, aggressive poach. The ATP is a reactive, opportunistic strike. Master players use both — and just the threat of the Erne forces opponents to change their dinking patterns, which itself creates winning opportunities.
How to Set Up the Erne (Drill Series)
Drill 1: Anticipation Practice
Have a partner cross-court dink to you repeatedly. Your job: read the angle and footwork of their swing. Don't move yet — just call out "Erne" when you see one coming. Build pattern recognition before adding movement.
Drill 2: The Step-Around
Same drill, but now you step around the kitchen corner onto the area beside it whenever you call Erne. Don't even hit the ball — just practice the footwork. Both feet must clear the kitchen line and be outside the sideline area.
Drill 3: Live Volleys
Combine the read with the swing. As your partner dinks cross-court, step around and volley the ball downward into the opposite court. Aim for the feet of the non-cross-court opponent — they're the one who can't reach.
How to Set Up the ATP (Drill Series)
Drill 1: Angle Recognition
Have a partner stand at the kitchen line and hit aggressive cross-court dinks at you while you stand wide. Your job: judge the bounce path. Yell "ATP" when the bounce will carry the ball outside the sideline. Don't swing yet.
Drill 2: Track and Tap
Now move to the ball and make contact — but don't try to hit a winner. Just guide the ball low and around the post into the far court. Feel the shot's geometry. You're hitting a forehand drive on a slight upward angle.
Drill 3: Hit It Like You Mean It
Once the path feels natural, add pace. ATPs work best when hit firmly with topspin — the ball stays low and skids. Aim for the far sideline, not the middle, to give the shot maximum distance and minimum reaction time for your opponent.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Going for the Erne too early. If you commit to the step-around before your opponent's contact, a smart player will redirect the dink behind you. Wait until you read the cross-court angle.
- Foot faults on the Erne. Even one toe in the kitchen kills the point. Practice the footwork without the ball until it's automatic.
- Forcing the ATP. If the ball isn't already past the post's plane, going around it is slower than going over the net. Take the safer shot.
- Telegraphing the Erne. Don't camp at the corner waiting. Stay neutral until you read the dink, then explode laterally.
Why These Shots Matter Even If You Never Hit One
Here's the secret: the Erne and ATP aren't just point-winners — they're deterrents. Once opponents know you can pull them off, they stop dinking aggressively cross-court. They aim more conservatively. They give you more time. They stop attacking your angles.
That alone makes learning these shots worth the practice, even if you only hit one or two per match. You're not just adding weapons — you're shifting your opponents' decisions, and in pickleball, decisions are everything.
Final Thought
The Erne and ATP look flashy, but they're built on fundamentals: reading angles, controlled footwork, patient setup. Drill them slowly. Add speed later. And once they're in your bag, the kitchen will never feel the same again.
See you on the courts. 🥒
