PickleFitter

The fourth shot in pickleball: how to answer the third, with drills

What to hit from the kitchen line against the serving team's third shot: attack a drop that sits up, dink a good one, block or counter a drive. Drills from feeds to live four-player points, for 3.0 to 4.5+.

For players rated 3.0+

When to use it

The fourth shot is the receiving team's first shot from the kitchen line, against the serving team's third. You're at the net and they're usually still coming in, so it's the first ball of the point where you have the advantage.

What you hit depends on the third. A drop that sits up above the net can be attacked; a good drop that lands in your kitchen gets a soft ball back, low to the feet of whoever is still moving in; a drive gets blocked soft or, when it comes in high, countered. The aim is the same every time: keep them back, or make their next shot hard.

The fourth shot toolbox

Answers to the third, chosen by how high and how hard it comes to you.

Against a drop

Soft to the feet

Push

A good drop lands in your kitchen. Send it back low to the feet of the player still moving in, so their next shot has to go up.

Attack the pop-up

Topspin

A drop that rises above the net: hit it down before it falls, at the feet of the player coming in or through the middle.

Volley it deep

Push

A floating drop you can reach out of the air but can't attack: push it deep, back toward the baseline, so they have to hit another third.

Against a drive

Block

Slice

A short, still paddle out in front, the face a little open: take the pace off a hard drive and drop it into the kitchen.

Counter

Topspin

A drive that comes in above your waist can be punched back firm, at the feet or the hip of the player moving in.

Three thirds, three answers

The same player at the kitchen line answers three different thirds: a good drop, a drop that sits up, and a drive.

FROM ABOVEKITCHENKITCHENACFROM THE SIDEKITCHENKITCHENnet height34 inAC
A good drop lands in A's kitchen: A sends it back soft, at C's feet as C moves in…

Drills, stage by stage

Your level
Practising

Not sure of your level? What the ratings mean

Stage 1 · With a partner

Read the third

One partner hits thirds from the baseline; you choose the answer from the kitchen line.

  • Decide before it reaches you: is it above the net, in the kitchen, or coming hard?
  • Attack only what's above the net; play everything else soft.
  • Against a drive, paddle out in front and still. Let the ball come to it.
  • Skinny singles: straight ahead on one half.

  1. 1.Read the third

    With a partner2.5–3.0

    Trains choosing the right answer to the third: attack it, play it soft, or block it.

    FROM ABOVEKITCHENKITCHENABFROM THE SIDEKITCHENKITCHENnet height34 inAB
    B's drop lands in the kitchen: A dinks it back.
    1. Stand at the kitchen line; your partner stands at the baseline with balls.
    2. Your partner hits thirds at you: good drops, drops that sit up, and drives, in any order.
    3. Attack the ones above the net, dink the ones in the kitchen and block the drives. Your partner calls how high each one was, so you can check your read.

    Reps: 3 rounds of 15, then switch

  2. 2.Block the drive

    With a partner3.5

    Trains taking the pace off a hard third so it lands in the kitchen, and countering the high one.

    FROM ABOVEKITCHENKITCHENABFROM THE SIDEKITCHENKITCHENnet height34 inAB
    B drives at A; A blocks it into the kitchen…
    1. Your partner drives from the baseline, at your body and to either side.
    2. Block each one into the kitchen: paddle out in front, face slightly open, no swing.
    3. When a drive comes in above your waist, counter it at your partner's feet instead.

    Reps: 3 rounds of 15

  3. 3.Keep them back

    With a partner4.0

    Trains volleying floating thirds deep, so the serving team can't get to the line.

    FROM ABOVEKITCHENKITCHENABFROM THE SIDEKITCHENKITCHENnet height34 inAB
    B drops and moves in; the drop floats, so A volleys it deep…
    1. Your partner hits thirds from the baseline and moves in after each one.
    2. Any third you can take out of the air but can't attack, volley deep toward the baseline.
    3. Your partner has to hit another third; count how many it takes them to reach the line.

    Reps: 5 rounds, then switch

Stage 2 · Three players

Two at the net

A feeder hits thirds at a pair, who answer them and agree on who takes the middle.

  • The player with the forehand in the middle takes middle drives.
  • Call 'mine' early.
  • Answer toward the player coming in, not the one who stayed back.

  1. 4.Pair against the third

    Three players3.5

    Trains a pair at the net answering thirds together and sharing the middle.

    FROM ABOVEKITCHENKITCHENABCFROM THE SIDEKITCHENKITCHENnet height34 inACB
    C drives down the middle: B, with the forehand in the middle, calls it and blocks.
    1. A feeder at the baseline hits thirds at either player or down the middle.
    2. The pair answers each one: attack, dink or block.
    3. The forehand in the middle takes middle drives; call 'mine' before it arrives.

    Reps: 3 rounds of 20 balls

Stage 3 · Four players

Live thirds

Real points from the serve: the receiving team turns the fourth shot into the advantage.

  • Returner: return deep and get to the line before the third arrives.
  • Keep the serving team back with low, deep fourth shots until one sits up.
  • If the third is a good drop, don't force it: play it soft and wait.

  1. 5.Live thirds

    Four players4.0

    Trains winning the fourth-shot exchange in real points.

    FROM ABOVEKITCHENKITCHENABCDFROM THE SIDEKITCHENKITCHENnet height34 inADBC
    C serves; A returns deep and comes to the line beside B.
    1. Play points from the serve. The receiving team gets to the kitchen line and answers the third.
    2. Keep the serving team back with low, deep fourth shots until one sits up, then attack it.
    3. Swap serving and receiving every 5 points.

    Reps: Games to 11

  2. 6.Attack or keep it low

    Four players4.5+

    Trains reading the third at full speed and putting the fourth where it hurts.

    FROM ABOVEKITCHENKITCHENABCDFROM THE SIDEKITCHENKITCHENnet height34 inADBCYOUR VIEWfeetmiddle
    C's drop is a good one: A keeps it low, at D's feet as D moves in…
    1. Play out points from the third: the serving team starts at the baseline and must open with a drop or a drive.
    2. At the line, attack only what's above the net; keep everything else low, at the feet of the player moving in.
    3. A point won on the fourth or sixth shot scores 2.

    Reps: Games to 15

Common mistakes

  • Attacking a drop that's below the net. If you'd have to hit up, play it soft.
  • Swinging at drives. Block them: the pace is already there.
  • Answering the player who's already at the line instead of the one still moving in.
  • Standing back from the kitchen line, so good drops die at your feet.
  • Both players going for a middle drive, or neither. The forehand in the middle takes it; call it.
  • Letting a floating drop bounce when you could have volleyed it deep.

What to work on at your level

2.5–3.0Get to the kitchen line after the return, and block drives back soft.
3.5Tell a good drop from one that sits up, and answer each the right way.
4.0Keep the serving team back with low, deep fourth shots, and attack only balls above the net.
4.5+Choose the fourth by the player coming in: at the feet of the one in transition, through the middle when they're split, deep when they're stuck back.

Paddles that help

The fourth shot is mostly blocks and soft shots against pace, and a control paddle keeps them low.

Best Pickleball Paddles for Control

Common questions

What is the fourth shot in pickleball?
The receiving team's second shot of the point, usually the first one hit from the kitchen line. It answers the serving team's third shot.
Should I attack a third-shot drop?
Only if it's above the net when you reach it. A drop that lands in your kitchen should be played back soft and low, toward the player still coming in.
How do I handle a third-shot drive at the net?
Block it. Paddle out in front, face slightly open, almost no swing; let the drive's pace carry it back into the kitchen. Counter it only when it comes in above your waist.
Can I volley the third shot?
Yes. The two-bounce rule only covers the serve and the return. From outside the kitchen you can take the third out of the air.

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