Hey, it’s your coach Jordan Briones.

Let me ask you something.

When you’re up at the kitchen line and you’re dinking, are you actually thinking about where you’re placing the ball? Or are you just keeping it in and hoping your opponent makes a mistake?

If it’s the second one, don’t worry. Most players are right there with you.

But here’s the thing. The kitchen is not just about keeping the ball low and alive. It’s where the real chess match happens. And the players who understand where to dink — and more importantly, why — are the ones who consistently control the point.

Let me break it down for you.

How to Control the Point at the Kitchen Line with Smart Dinking

Middle Dinks Shrink Your Opponent’s Options

Most players naturally want to push dinks out wide. They think going wide creates pressure. And yes, it can. But there’s a really important reason why the middle of the court deserves a lot more of your attention.

First, the net is at its lowest point in the middle. That alone makes your shot easier and more consistent.

Second — and this is the big one — when you dink to the middle, you take away your opponent’s angles. You shrink their attacking options. They can’t redirect wide easily without taking a real risk.

Now flip that around. When you go out wide, you are the one giving up angles. You’re opening up the court for your opponent to exploit. If they’re smart, they’ll use that space against you.

So here’s the rule of thumb. Middle dinks keep you safer. Wide dinks create pressure but come with risk.

Use both. But know when and why you’re choosing each one.

Make Middle Your Default When Out of Position

Here’s a mistake I see constantly at every level.

A player gets pulled way out wide — stretched out of position on their backhand side — and what do they do? They panic and yank the ball right back crosscourt. Right back to where it came from.

And guess what happens? Their opponent is already there waiting for it. Easy put-away.

I’ve done it. You’ve probably done it. It’s a natural instinct when you’re off balance.

But here’s the adjustment that changes everything.

When you’re pulled out wide and out of position, go middle.

Don’t try to be a hero and rip it crosscourt. Just redirect toward the middle of the court. It’s a much simpler shot from a stretched position, and more importantly, it only takes you two or three steps to get back into coverage instead of scrambling all the way across the court.

The middle saves you. It resets the point. It gives you time to recover and compete.

Practice this. When you feel yourself out of position, your default answer should be middle.

Choose Between Topspin and Slice — It’s All About Balance

Now let’s talk about spin, because this is where your dink game goes from flat and predictable to genuinely threatening.

The question isn’t really topspin versus slice. The question is what’s your body doing right before contact?

Here’s how I think about it.

If the ball is out in front of me, if I have space, if my feet are set and I’m balanced — I’m going topspin. I can load up, brush up through the ball, and push my opponents back or force them into a tough position.

But the moment I’m moving backward, off balance, or reaching for a ball that’s getting behind me — slice is the answer. It buys me time. It keeps the ball low. And it gets me back into the point without giving up an easy attack.

Topspin is offensive. Slice is defensive. Simple as that.

Don’t force topspin when your feet aren’t underneath you. You’ll either pop it up or miss the net. And don’t go passive with a floaty ball when you have a clean look — attack it with topspin and put your opponents on defense.

One more thing I want you to carry with you.

There are going to be moments at the kitchen line where you commit to a shot — maybe you’re setting up to take a ball out of the air — and then at the last second, you realize the ball is just a little too far away. Just out of range.

Your first instinct is usually the right one. Take it out of the air. Be aggressive. Look to do something with it.

But if it’s not there? You have to adjust. Fast.

That means changing your paddle position, switching to slice, and letting it bounce. The worst thing you can do is commit to an aggressive shot on a ball you can’t actually reach cleanly. That’s how pop-ups happen.

The best players at the kitchen line are constantly reading and reacting. Not just reacting to where the ball is going — but reacting to what their own body can actually do in that moment.

Stay present. Stay connected. And when you have to adapt, adapt early.

Final Thoughts

Here’s the big picture.

Great kitchen play isn’t about luck or reflexes. It’s about making smart decisions with intention — moving dinks with a purpose, choosing the right spin based on your position, and knowing where to redirect when you’re out of position.

Middle when you need safety.

Wide when you want to create pressure.

Topspin when you’re set and balanced.

Slice when you need to survive and reset.

And always, always — be ready to adapt.

Do this consistently and you stop just surviving at the kitchen. You start controlling it.

Go work on it. Pay attention to your shot selection. And watch how much more comfortable those kitchen battles start to feel.

See you on the courts,

Coach Jordan Briones