If you’ve watched professional pickleball for more than a few minutes, you’ve seen it — a player sprints wide off the court, swings hard, and rockets the ball around the outside of the net post. No crossing over the net. Just pure, geometrically impossible-looking brilliance.

That’s the ATP: the Around the Post shot. And the best part? It’s completely legal, it’s possible at any skill level, and once you pull it off for the first time, you’ll spend the rest of your pickleball life looking for opportunities to do it again.

Here’s everything you need to know.

What Is the ATP Shot?

The ATP (Around the Post) is a shot hit from outside the sideline boundary of the court, where the ball travels around — not over — the net post and lands in the opponent’s court.

Because the ball never crosses over the net, the standard rule that requires the ball to cross over the net’s height doesn’t apply. The ball can be hit from below net height, curve around the post, and still be a completely legal winner.

The rules of pickleball explicitly allow this: a player can reach outside the post to hit the ball, and the ball does not have to pass over the net. This makes the ATP one of the few shots in racket sports where you can hit the ball significantly lower than the net on your side and still win the point.

When Does the ATP Opportunity Arise?

ATP opportunities don’t come on every point — you have to recognize when you’re set up for one. The shot becomes available when:

  • Your opponent hits a wide, low, angled shot that pulls you off the court beyond the sideline
  • The ball is traveling away from you at a sharp enough angle that it will pass outside the post

The key is that the ball has to be moving away from the court — crossing outside the post’s extension — before you can legitimately hit around it. If the ball is traveling inward (toward the center of the court), it won’t arc around the post.

Watch the ball’s trajectory as soon as your opponent hits it. If it’s angled wide and low, sprint — the window closes fast.

How to Execute the ATP

Here’s the sequence for a well-executed ATP:

1. Read the angle early. As soon as the ball leaves your opponent’s paddle with a wide, low trajectory, commit to moving outside the sideline. Don’t wait to confirm — hesitation kills the shot.

2. Sprint wide. Move laterally and forward simultaneously. You want to reach the ball while it’s still outside the sideline, not after it’s pulled you deep and past the extension of the post.

3. Get low. Your body needs to be below the net level — bend your knees and drop your center of gravity. The shot often needs to travel low and curving inward, which requires a low contact point.

4. Hit with topspin or a flat, angled drive. A flat, aggressive swing aimed to curve around the post and land crosscourt works well. Some players add topspin to pull the ball back into the court after it rounds the post. Avoid hitting it too hard — angle and placement matter more than power.

5. Aim for the sideline or the opponent’s kitchen. The best ATP winners land near the sideline opposite where you’re hitting from, cutting off any possible return angle.

Why the ATP Is So Hard to Return

The reason the ATP is such a high-percentage winner — when you execute it correctly — comes down to geometry.

Your opponent is positioned for a ball coming over the net, likely moving toward the center. An ATP comes from a completely different angle, curving around the post from outside the court. The flight path gives your opponent almost no time to reposition, and the angle of the incoming ball makes a controlled return nearly impossible.

Even when opponents see the ATP coming, they often can’t do much about it. The ball is angling away from them into a space they can’t cover without completely abandoning their position.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Hitting too early (before the ball passes outside the post). If the ball hasn’t fully passed outside the sideline extension, you’re hitting it “around” a post that the ball would have landed inside of — and you might actually hit the post itself. Wait until the ball is clearly outside.

Swinging too hard. The ATP requires touch. A full-speed swing with no angle control usually flies wide or long. Think controlled, angled, purposeful.

Not moving soon enough. The ATP window is narrow. Players who wait to confirm the opportunity before moving almost always arrive late. Develop the instinct to move on the angle read.

Trying it from too far inside the court. If the ball hasn’t pulled you completely outside the sideline, you don’t have the geometry for an ATP. The shot only works when you’re clearly outside the court boundary.

Practice Drill: Creating the Opportunity

To train ATP reactions, have a partner feed wide, low, sharply angled shots to your backhand side — balls designed to pull you off the court completely. Focus first on just reaching the ball in time and making contact. Don’t worry about the shot itself initially.

Once you can consistently get to the ball, start working on angle and placement. The sprint and the contact point are the two hardest parts. Master those before worrying about spin.

The ATP is one of pickleball’s great show-stopping moments. It’s a shot that rewards court awareness, quick reactions, and a willingness to commit fully when the geometry is right. Learn to read the setup, and you’ll be pulling this off sooner than you think.