Try This Sneaky 4th Shot for Easy Points at the Kitchen Line

From the time you just start playing to the most competitive courts at your local facility, there’s one piece of advice put on repeat: get the ball down at your opponents’ feet every chance you get.

And that’s true. It’s hard to be a threat when hitting a ball off your shoelaces.

But there’s a twist we’ve been loving lately that’s particularly effective on fourth shots: targeting your opponents’ shins instead.

Here’s how it plays out:

Your opponent serves, and stays deep behind the baseline
Your team returns deep, and gains the kitchen line
They hit a 3rd shot drop, then begin their approach to the kitchen

Sound familiar so far? Great. Now pay attention.

You’re at the kitchen line, your opponents are coming in. Unless their 3rd shot drop is perfect, chances are good you’ll be able to take it out of the air
This is your opportunity to make them sweat: instead of hitting the ball down at their feet, hit it at their shins instead

When the ball bounces, it slows down. They’ve got a good shot of hitting another 3rd shot in this scenario. Your advantage remains neutral.

But if they have to volley this ball instead, especially from below their knees while their momentum is moving forward, well, that’s a far trickier shot for any rec player to handle.

They’re going to dump that in the net, sail it long, or give you a sitter to crush for the point.

Whatever the case, advantage you.