The Complete Guide to the ATP and Erne in Pickleball | How to Hit the Two Key Shots That Use the Outside of the Net, and the Rules Behind Them [Coach Explains]

When you watch footage of pro matches, which shots make you blurt out "Wait, what was that?!" more than any others? I'd name two without hesitation: the ATP, where the ball slips past the side of the net and curls around into the court, and the Erne, where a player suddenly appears beside the kitchen (the non-volley zone, or NVZ) and smashes the ball down.

I'm Coach Yoshi. I've played tennis for 15 years and discovered pickleball in 2026. On video, these two shots look like pure circus tricks, but both are legal shots that fit squarely within the rulebook. What's more, you don't have to be an advanced player to hit an ATP, as long as the situation sets up for it. I suspect a lot of players let chances go by simply because they don't know the shot is even an option. In this article, I'll cover the ATP and the Erne, plus their offshoot, the Bert, all in one go: from why they're legal to how to hit them, what order to practice them in and when to use them. If you're not confident about the kitchen rules, start with my complete guide to the kitchen.

What Is an ATP (Around the Post)? The Ball Doesn't Have to Go Over the Net

ATP = Around The Post. As the name says, it's a shot where the ball travels not over the net but around the "outside" of the net post and into the opponent's court.

The first time you see one, you probably think, "Wait, isn't that illegal?" But the official rules state it plainly: "A ball may be returned around the outside of the net post." (2026 edition, 13.C: Ball Around Net Post). Far from being prohibited, it's a shot the rules explicitly allow.

To begin with, what the rules require of a return isn't that it go over the net, but that the ball land on the opponent's end of the court (10.C). On top of that:

• The ball can pass lower than the height of the net. 13.C sets no height requirement (earlier editions of the rulebook spelled it out: "a player may return the ball around the net post below the height of the net"). It's fine for the ball to come in low, skimming past the side of the post.
• There's no limit on how far from the court you can be, either. Even if you hit it from well outside the sideline, it's fine under the rules. (Crossing the plane of the net with your body or paddle before you hit the ball is a fault, which I'll explain in the Erne section.)
• But the ball must always go around the "outside" of the post. Sending it through the gap between the net and the post and sending it under the net are both faults (13.D / 13.E). When you're trying to keep it low, be careful not to drift too far inside.

In other words, off to the "side" of the net, the rules leave a wide-open path. Whether or not you know this space exists completely changes your options when you've been pulled off the court.

Here's When You Can Hit an ATP

The ATP isn't a shot you go out of your way to set up. It's a shot that seizes a situation your opponent has created for you. Specifically:

When your opponent's dink or angled shot has pulled you far out to the side (outside the sideline).

Under the official specifications, the net posts stand about 12 inches (30 cm) outside the sidelines (the posts are 22 feet (6.71 m) apart, inside to inside, while the court is 20 feet (6.10 m) wide; 3.B.2). The ATP assumes the ball is drifting so far to the side that it can pass even farther out than that post.

One more condition: the ball has dropped below the height of the net. While the ball is still high, you can simply return it over the top of the net as usual. It's when the ball has dropped below the net and getting it back over the top becomes a struggle that the path around the outside of the post really comes into its own. A ball that's low and drifting wide: that's your cue for an ATP.

From your opponent's point of view, once they've pushed you out wide, it's easy to feel like "this rally is ours." So when the ball comes back from an unexpected angle, a successful ATP gets everyone fired up, and it can even turn the tide of a match.

How to Hit an ATP in 4 Steps

Step 1: Decide The moment both conditions are there, "drifting wide" and "below the net," commit to the ATP. If you run while you're still undecided, you won't get there in time.

Step 2: Don't overtake the ball This is where a lot of players stumble. If you end up running alongside the ball, you get jammed and can't swing. Circle around behind and outside the ball, and set the contact point in front of your body. It's the same feel as running around the ball in tennis.

Step 3: Stay low, and don't open the paddle face too much Since the ball is going past the side of the post, there's no need to loft it in an arc. From a low contact point, push the ball straight out with a nearly flat face. Because you don't have to clear the top of the net, you can swing with a feel close to a passing shot in tennis.

Step 4: Don't hit the post This is the final hurdle. Under the rules, the net post counts as a "permanent object," and with a portable net, that includes the legs and wheels connected to the post. If the ball hits the post before it bounces on the opponent's court, it's a fault against the player who hit it (10.C.4). Rather than aiming right next to the post, it's safer to aim to send the ball one to two fist-widths outside the post.

A side note: through the 2025 edition, the rulebook said, "A ball contacting the net post results in a dead ball and the team that hit the ball loses the rally." (former 11.K), but this was rewritten for 2026 (USA Pickleball describes the change as stating the intent of the rule more clearly). Now, if the ball bounces on the opponent's court and then, before the opponent returns it, hits the post because of spin or wind, it's a fault against the opponent who failed to return it. In other words, the player who hit the shot wins the rally (10.C.5). This isn't something you can deliberately make happen with an ATP, so in actual play, all you need to remember is "if it hits the post before it bounces, it's my fault."

💡 Coach Yoshi's Tip With the ATP, I recommend not getting greedy with tight placements. A ball that comes in low from outside the court is already at an awkward angle for your opponent. Rather than going for the corner on the far side and hitting it out, I think you'll actually win more points if you prioritize getting the ball safely into the opponent's court first.

What Is an Erne? Hitting from "Outside" the Kitchen

The other one is the Erne: a shot where you stand beside the kitchen (the non-volley zone), outside the sideline, and volley right up near the net. The name is said to come from Erne Perry, a player who used the shot in matches and made it popular.

Why is it so effective? Because you can't volley inside the kitchen, but you can volley "outside" it.

Picture the court. The kitchen spans the full width of the court, but outside the sideline, it's no longer the kitchen. So if you stand outside the sideline, you can volley the ball out of the air, fair and square, right beside the net. From your opponent's point of view, the instant after they hit a dink, someone appears right at their side and smashes it down. It's a shot that's bad for the heart.

Two Ways to Get into Erne Position

There are two legal ways to get into position for an Erne.

(A) Jump Take off from behind the kitchen line (outside the kitchen), leap over the corner of the kitchen (the sideline part of it) in midair, and land with both feet outside the sideline. Since you hit the ball in the air, you aren't touching anything at the moment of contact. This is the flashy version. If your takeoff foot is touching the kitchen (including its lines), it's a fault even if you hit the ball in the air (11.A.3).

(B) Walk around During the rally, move outside the kitchen (outside the sideline) ahead of time and lie in wait. No jumping ability is required, and this is the more practical option in real play. You put the ball away before your opponent realizes, "Huh, they're not there." If you step through the kitchen on your way over, you can't volley until both feet are on the ground outside the kitchen (11.A.3).

3 Conditions That Make an Erne Legal

For such a flashy-looking shot, the conditions for a legal Erne are simple.

1. Have both feet outside the kitchen before you volley, and don't touch the kitchen at the moment of contact or afterward This point is often misunderstood, so I'll be precise. The kitchen is a rectangle that extends 7 feet from the net and spans the 20-foot width of the court (2.13 m by 6.10 m), and on the left and right, it ends at the sidelines (3.A.4.c). In other words, the ground outside the sidelines is no longer the kitchen. Even if you're right beside the kitchen, standing there and volleying is legal. That's the very basis that makes the Erne possible.

What you do need to watch out for are the lines that bound the kitchen themselves. The official rules state: "All lines that bound the non-volley zone are part of the zone." (3.A.4.c; I also cover this in detail in my complete guide to the kitchen.) The part that matters for the Erne is the section of the sideline that runs from the net to the kitchen line. It's part of the kitchen too, so if you're touching it even slightly, it's a fault. And if your momentum after the hit carries you onto this line or into the kitchen, that's a momentum fault (11.A.2). With the jumping version, the pattern to watch for is landing with one foot on this line. I recommend deciding where you'll land before you go.

2. Don't touch the net or the post Whether it's your body, your paddle or your clothing, touching the net or the post while the ball is live is a fault (13.G). Since you're swinging right at the edge of the net, it's an easy fault to commit.

3. Don't cross the "extension" of the plane of the net before you hit This is a slightly tricky rule that applies to both the Erne and the ATP. The official rules define the "Plane of the Net" as a vertical plane in line with the net that extends not only above and below the net but also to both sides. And if your body or paddle crosses that plane onto your opponent's side before you hit the ball, it's a fault (13.I.1.a). Crossing it with your follow-through or the continuation of that stroke after you've hit the ball is fine (13.I.1). Remember it as "hit first, cross second." However, even if that carries you around onto your opponent's side, touching your opponent's court (including the lines) is a fault (13.H).

The same plane applies to the ball, too. The rule is that you hit the ball only after it has entirely crossed the plane of the net to your side (13.F). Since you're lying in wait right by the net for an Erne, be careful not to go after the ball too early.

Note: the "extension" here is about the plane of the net, which is a separate matter from the earlier point that the kitchen has no extension (it ends at the sidelines). Mixing the two up leads to confusion, so keep them separate in your head.

💡 Coach Yoshi's Tip The thing to watch out for with the Erne is "moving too early and tipping off your opponent." If they notice the moment you start moving, all they have to do is hit the ball into the space you've left open. If you're going to move, do it after your opponent has started their hitting motion. Any earlier, and you're just leaving a hole. I think the Erne is a shot where the timing of your first move, and the composure not to give away what you're planning, matter just as much as technique.

The Bert: The Advanced Version of the Erne

Let me introduce just one more shot, one that makes watching matches more fun once you know its name: the Bert. The name is said to come from Bert & Ernie, the famous duo from the American children's TV show Sesame Street. It's a bit of wordplay: the Erne is cast as the show's Ernie, and this shot is named after his buddy.

It's a shot where you cut across in front of your partner and hit an Erne on the opposite side. So a player who was on the right crosses in front of their partner on the left and puts away an Erne from outside the left sideline. The conditions for it to be legal are exactly the same as for the Erne.

Naturally, the risk shoots up. Because you're crossing in front of your partner, if it doesn't come off, the side you were covering is left wide open, and there's also a danger of colliding with your partner. When it works, it's a real highlight, but when it doesn't, you're suddenly at a big disadvantage, which makes it a high-risk play. If you spot one while watching a match, pay attention to the sheer boldness of it. If you read my article on doubles formations and positioning, I think it'll click why an open side hurts so much.

What Order to Practice In: Start with the ATP

If you're going to practice the ATP and the Erne, I recommend starting with the ATP. There are three reasons.

1. There are fewer moments where you have to worry about your foot position. You usually hit an ATP off a bounce, outside the court, so the kitchen rules hardly ever come into play. (The one thing it shares with the Erne is not crossing the plane of the net before you hit.)
2. You have less to lose. The ATP is a shot you choose when you've already been pushed out wide and are in trouble. The Erne, on the other hand, is something you start yourself out of an even rally, so if your opponent reads it, it's easy to end up handing them that rally.
3. If you've played tennis, you already have the movement foundation. The motion of running around the ball and swinging through carries straight over.

ATP Practice Drill

Have your partner (or a feeder) repeatedly send you low, angled balls that drift far outside the court. You run out wide and send the ball around the outside of the post. It's normal for very few to go in at first. The key is to focus on "setting the contact point in front of your body" rather than on getting it in. Once your contact point is right, the placement will follow.

If you're practicing alone, one option is to stand on your side of the net, farther out from the sideline than the post, drop the ball and hit it yourself (a self-feed), and simply repeat the path that goes around the outside of the post into the opposite court. I've put together solo practice routines in general in Solo Practice Drills.

Erne Practice Drill

For the Erne, before you practice hitting, start with a drill that's nothing but "move, stop, check your feet." Don't hit any balls. Stand outside the kitchen and visually confirm that neither foot is touching the lines that bound the kitchen (including the part of the sideline beside the kitchen). Do this 20 times. If you start hitting balls before your foot position is second nature, you'll build a habit of faulting.

If you want to work on your footwork itself, check out Pickleball Footwork as well.

💡 Coach Yoshi's Tip For the ATP drill, I recommend starting with balls that drift out wide slowly. You can't hit an ATP if you don't get there in time, so first, use balls that give you plenty of time and let your body learn the sequence "run out wide, get behind the ball, send it around the outside of the post." There's no need to speed up the feeds until that sequence stops breaking down.

When to Use Them, and When You're Better Off Not To

I recommend thinking about when to use each one separately, like this.

When the situation for an ATP comes up, go for it without hesitation. Once you've been pushed out wide, you're only going to manage a difficult return anyway. Just knowing that "the ATP is an option" turns a moment where you've been pushed out into a chance to counterattack. That said, it assumes there's enough room for you to run out past the side of the court. In places like gyms where there's little space between courts, there's a danger of running into the post, a wall or a player on the next court, so don't force yourself to run out wide. The same goes for practice.

The Erne can wait until you can sustain dink rallies. Erne chances come up during dink battles at the kitchen, when your opponent's dink comes to your sideline (around the corner of the kitchen). If you force it before you can keep a dink rally going, it's easy to pull yourself out of position and beat yourself. First, solidify the back-and-forth at the kitchen with 5 Fundamentals to Win Dink Battles, and once you can "read where your opponent's dink is going," that's when the Erne comes into play. The decision to switch to attack itself is covered in The Fundamentals of Speeding Up.

Flashy shots can only be built on a plain foundation. I think sticking to the order will actually get you hitting them sooner.

Summary

• The ATP (around the post) is a legal shot that goes around the outside of the net post. It's spelled out in official rule 13.C.
• An ATP chance comes when both conditions are there: "drifting wide" and "below the net".
• Send it around the outside of the post. Through the gap or under the net is not allowed. If it hits the post before bouncing, it's your fault, so aim one to two fist-widths outside.
• The Erne is a legal shot where you stand "outside" the kitchen and volley. The kitchen ends at the sidelines, so the area beyond them isn't the kitchen.
• There are three conditions for a legal Erne: have both feet outside the kitchen before you volley, and don't touch the kitchen (including its bounding lines) when you hit or afterward; don't touch the net or the post; don't cross the plane of the net before you hit
• Practice the ATP first and the Erne second. Save the Erne for after you've built a foundation in dink battles.

In my view, the real value of these two shots isn't "winning the point." It's knowing that "there's a path outside the court and beside the net, too." Situations you thought were over once you got pushed out suddenly come with options. That wider way of thinking translates directly into more breathing room in your game. In your next match, if you get pulled out wide, try taking a look at the side of the post, just once.

If you have a specific question like "Can I go for an ATP in this situation?", feel free to ask on LINE. I (Coach Yoshi) will answer based on your situation. You can add us as a friend through Pickleball Lab's official LINE account.

Related articles

• The Complete Guide to the Pickleball "Kitchen" — The core non-volley zone rules that the Erne builds on
• 5 Fundamentals to Win Dink Battles — The back-and-forth at the kitchen that creates Erne chances
• The Fundamentals of Speeding Up — How to judge when to turn a popped-up ball into an attack
• The Complete Guide to the Pickleball Lob — Another surprise play that sends opponents who've moved up to the net back
• Pickleball Footwork — For both the ATP and the Erne, the foundation is your feet
• Pickleball Glossary — ATP, Erne and other terms in one list
• Doubles Formations and Positioning — To understand the part of the court a Bert leaves open
• What Paddles Do the Pros Use? — The gear behind the players who hit flashy shots
• Top 10 Common Beginner Mistakes — So you don't overreach and beat yourself

Related products

See all paddles →

References

1. USA Pickleball Official Rulebook 2026 (Section 2: Definitions / Section 3: Court and Equipment / Section 10: Rally Situations / Section 11: Non-Volley Zone Infractions / Section 13: The Net and Net Support System During Play)
2. USA Pickleball — 2026 Rulebook Change Document (Entry 2070 Net Post Winner: former 11.K → 10.C.5)
3. PlayPickleball — USA Pickleball: Pickleball Around-the-Post (ATP) shot (explained by a USA Pickleball referee; rule numbers are from the 2024 edition)
4. Pickleheads — Pickleball kitchen rules (the kitchen ends at the sidelines)
5. Pickleheads — Erne in pickleball (origin of the Erne's name and definition of the Bert; rule numbers are from an earlier edition)