Around the Post in Pickleball (ATP): Is It Legal, How to Hit It, How to Stop It
By José Cabrera · October 11, 2026 · 7 min read
An around-the-post shot, or ATP, is a ball hit around the outside of the net post instead of over the net. It is legal, and it does not have to clear net height; it only has to land in the opponent's court. ATPs usually happen when a sharp crosscourt ball bounces and keeps traveling wide, pulling the player outside the sideline, past the post.
The ATP is the shot that makes everybody at the neighboring courts stop and look. A player chases a sharp crosscourt ball far outside the sideline, and instead of lifting it back over the net, whips it around the outside of the post, low, into the court. The first time you see one, you assume it cannot be legal.
It is. Here is what an around-the-post shot is, why the rules allow it, how to set one up and hit it, and how to stop giving them away.
What an ATP is
ATP stands for around the post. It is a shot that travels around the outside of the net post, the pole holding the net up, instead of over the net itself.
Because it never crosses above the net, an ATP can stay below net height the whole way. It can skim a few inches off the ground and still be a winner. The only requirement is the usual one: the ball has to land in the opponent's court.
The term is one of the sport's favorite pieces of jargon, next to the Erne and the Nasty Nelson, and you will find it with the rest in the full pickleball glossary.
Why it is legal
Pickleball's rules say the ball has to cross into the opponent's court and land in bounds. They do not require that it pass over the net when it goes around the outside of the post. So a ball that travels around the post, at any height, and lands in is a good shot.
What stays illegal is the usual list:
- Touching the net or the post with your paddle, body or clothing while the ball is in play
- Stepping into the kitchen to volley a ball out of the air
- The ball landing out, which is still out even after a spectacular ATP
In other words, you get the freedom of the path, not freedom from the other rules.
The setup that creates an ATP
You cannot decide to hit an ATP from the middle of the court. The geometry has to hand it to you.
It almost always starts with a sharp crosscourt ball, usually a dink or a short angled shot, that lands near the sideline close to the net and keeps traveling outward after the bounce. By the time you reach it, you are several feet outside the sideline and the ball is past the net post, often below the top of the net.
At that point, going over the net would mean lifting the ball high and back across the court, which gives the other team an easy attack. Going around the post is the shorter, lower path.
Net posts stand outside the sidelines, so the ball has to be well wide before an ATP is on. On portable nets, where the post sits closer to the sideline, the window comes a little sooner.
How to hit an ATP, step by step
1. Recognize it early
Watch for the sharp angle. If a crosscourt ball bounces near the sideline and is still moving outward, start moving immediately. ATPs are mostly about arriving in time.
2. Run wide, not forward
Move outside the sideline on a path that lets you reach the ball after it passes the post, with your body facing the court. Running straight at the ball usually leaves you jammed.
3. Let the ball get past the post
The shot only works once the ball is beyond the post. Hit it too early and you are going over the net whether you meant to or not.
4. Hit low and flat, down the line
Swing through the ball on a flat, low path, aimed back along the opponent's sideline into their court. Most ATPs are forehands, and most are hit with a compact swing rather than a big one.
5. Aim for the court, not the lines
The ball will be traveling fast and low. Aim a foot or two inside the sideline. An ATP that lands out is just a long run.
6. Recover
After you hit, you are far outside the court. Your partner should slide over to cover the middle while you get back.
How to defend against an ATP
If ATPs keep beating you, the problem is usually the shot before.
Stop feeding extreme angles. Very sharp crosscourt dinks that land near the sideline and keep going wide are exactly what creates an ATP. Keep your crosscourt dinks a little more central, deep in the kitchen rather than at the sideline.
Cover the line when you create the angle. If you or your partner does hit a sharp angle, the player on that side should shade toward the sideline to take away the down-the-line path.
Stay at the kitchen line. An ATP is low and fast. Players who have backed off the line have no chance to reach it.
Accept that some will beat you. A well-struck ATP is often unreturnable. If it happens once a month, clap and move on.
Is an ATP realistic at rec level?
Honestly, rarely. It needs a specific angle, a player who reads it early, and a court with room outside the sidelines. Many public courts have fences or neighboring courts that make the run impossible, and you should never chase a ball onto another live court.
For most rec players, the ATP is worth knowing for two reasons: so you do not call a legal shot a fault, and so you stop feeding the angle that makes it possible.
ATP vs Erne
The two get mixed up constantly because both happen outside the sideline near the net.
| ATP | Erne | |
|---|---|---|
| Path of the ball | Around the net post | Over the net |
| Contact | Usually after a bounce | A volley, out of the air |
| Height | Can stay below net height | Must go over the net |
| Setup | Sharp crosscourt ball pulls you wide | A ball near the sideline you jump or step around the kitchen to volley |
The Erne has its own set of footwork rules, which are covered in how the Erne works and why it is legal.
Common arguments about the ATP
"It has to go over the net." Not when it goes around the post. This is the most common misunderstanding.
"It was below the net, so it's a fault." Height does not matter for a ball that goes around the post.
"You hit the post." If the ball hits the net post, it is a fault. The post is not part of the net. If the player touches the post during play, that is also a fault.
"You were on the other court." Running onto a neighboring court during their point is a safety problem, not a style choice. Let that one go.
When an argument does start, the calm way to resolve it is covered in the rules explained without the arguing, and the usual response from the player who hit the ATP is a very smug look.
Why the rules lawyers love it
The ATP is the perfect rule for players who have read the rulebook. It looks illegal, it sounds illegal, and it is completely legal. That is exactly the kind of moment that the Rules Lawyer collection was made for, with a t-shirt or a shirt for the person who will explain it to everybody at the courts.
The short version
An ATP is a shot hit around the outside of the net post instead of over the net. It is legal, it can stay below net height, and it only has to land in. It comes from a sharp crosscourt ball that pulls you wide past the post. Hit it low, flat and down the line, aim inside the sideline, and have your partner cover the middle. To stop them, stop feeding extreme angles and cover the line when you do.
Common questions
- What is an ATP in pickleball?
- ATP stands for around the post. It is a shot hit around the outside of the net post rather than over the net, usually after a sharp crosscourt ball pulls a player well outside the sideline.
- Is around the post legal in pickleball?
- Yes. The rules allow a ball to be returned around the net post, and it does not need to pass above the height of the net. It only needs to land in the opponent's court.
- Does an ATP have to go over the net?
- No. That is what makes it an ATP. The ball travels around the outside of the post and can stay below net height the entire way, as long as it lands in bounds.
- Can you hit an ATP out of the air?
- Most ATPs are hit after the ball bounces, because the angle that creates them usually comes from a bouncing ball. The normal kitchen rules still apply to any volley.
- What is the difference between an ATP and an Erne?
- An Erne is a volley hit from outside the sideline near the net, and it goes over the net. An ATP goes around the net post, usually off a bounce, and does not have to go over the net at all.
The Rules Lawyer
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