Quick answer: The fourth shot in pickleball is the returning team’s answer to the serving team’s third shot. It is also the first ball in the rally that anyone is allowed to volley. The returning team is usually at the kitchen line by then, so the fourth shot is where they either cash in that head start or give it away. The whole skill is reading the third before you swing: dink a low drop, attack a high one, block a drive, and hit it all at the player who is still moving.
The 30-second version
- Serve is one, return is two, third is three, fourth is four. The fourth belongs to the team that received the serve.
- It is the first legal volley of the rally. The two-bounce rule makes the serve and the return bounce, so the fourth is the first ball that can be taken out of the air. That also makes it the first moment the kitchen rules can bite.
- Read the third, then choose. A drop below net height gets a dink back. A drop that floats above the net gets attacked. A drive gets blocked or reset. A lob gets covered.
- Aim at the moving player. One opponent is usually still coming forward from the baseline. Their feet are your target.
- Split-step before you hit. Be balanced when the third leaves their paddle, not while it is on its way to you.
- Don’t speed up a low ball. It is the most common way to hand back the advantage the return just earned you.
When I watch a rec game in Leominster, most people are practicing their third shot. Hardly anyone practices the fourth. That seems backwards to me, because the returning team usually starts the rally ahead, and the fourth shot decides whether that head start turns into a point.
What is the fourth shot in pickleball?
The fourth shot in pickleball is the fourth time the ball is struck in a rally. The server hits one, the receiver returns two, the server’s team plays the third, and the receiving team plays the fourth.
The rulebook is why it matters so much. USA Pickleball Rule 10.A, the two-bounce rule, says that the serve and the return of serve must each bounce before being returned. So the receiver has to let the serve bounce, and the serving team has to let the return bounce. After that, both teams can volley. That means the fourth shot is the first ball in any rally that can legally be hit out of the air, and the first time either team gets to take time away from the other.
Why does the fourth shot decide so many points?
Because it is where the court position gap is widest. Think about where everyone is standing:
- The returner’s partner has been standing at the kitchen line since the serve.
- The returner hit a deep return and is closing in behind it.
- The serving team is both back at the baseline, because they had to let the return bounce, and they have to hit the third from 40 feet away.
A good third buys the serving team time to get forward. A good fourth takes that time away. Dinking back a perfect drop is fine; the rally is even. Popping it up or smashing a low ball into the net lets them walk forward for free.
How do you read the third shot before you hit the fourth?
Your decision should be made by the time the ball crosses the net, not as it reaches your paddle. Four reads cover almost everything you will see.
| What the third looks like | Your fourth | Where it goes |
|---|---|---|
| Drop that will be below net height when you hit it | Dink it back, low and soft | At the feet of the player moving in |
| Drop that floats above the net | Attack: a punch volley or speed-up | Feet or hip of the moving player |
| Hard drive at your body | Block it soft into the kitchen | Short and away from the hitter |
| Drive that is rising past your shoulders | Let it go | Nowhere; it is likely out |
| Lob over the kitchen player | Overhead, or switch and cover | Deep, or into the open middle |
- The low drop. This is the third doing its job, and the right answer is patience. Dink it back and aim at the feet of whoever is still moving forward, not at the player already set at the line. A good drop does not get easier to attack by being impatient with it. Our dinking guide covers the contact.
- The high drop. Anything you can meet above the net is an invitation. Punch it down at the moving player’s feet or their paddle-side hip while they are still in the transition zone. If it sits up high enough, it is a putaway.
- The drive. A drive from the baseline is fast but arrives from a long way off. Keep your paddle out front, take the pace off, and reset it short into the kitchen. The serving team now has to come forward and hit up on a low ball, and that is exactly the fifth shot you want them to face.
- The drive that is leaving. Balls that are still rising at shoulder height when they reach you are very often going out. Learn when to let a ball go, because volleying one of these gives away a point the opponent already lost.
Who should you hit the fourth shot to?
Almost always the player who is moving. After the third, one opponent is usually still coming in from the baseline, often the one who just hit it. Moving feet mean worse contact. The partner already set at the line is balanced and ready.
Two more targets are worth knowing:
- Their feet, not their paddle. A ball that lands at the shoelaces of an approaching player forces them to hit up, and anything hit up gives you the next attack.
- The middle. When both opponents are moving, a fourth down the middle makes them decide who takes it at full speed. Our guide on who takes the middle ball explains why that decision breaks so often.
Where should you be when the third shot arrives?
At the kitchen line, stopped and balanced. Coach Mari Humberg, in a September 2026 breakdown written up by The Dink, puts the split-step first on the list, and I agree. When the third leaves your opponent’s paddle, land a small hop with your feet apart and your paddle up. Now you can move in any direction. If you are still running forward when you hit it, the fourth will float. Our piece on the split-step covers the timing.
For the returner, the return has to buy that time. A deep, high return gives you the seconds to get all the way up; a short, flat one leaves you hitting the fourth from the transition zone.
What rule catches players on the fourth shot?
The kitchen rule, because this is the first volley of the rally. If the third bounces in your kitchen, you are allowed to step in and play it off the bounce, which our guide on volleying in the kitchen covers. If you take it out of the air, both feet have to be outside the zone, and your momentum can’t carry you into it afterward either.
The rulebook is stricter here than most players realize. USA Pickleball defines momentum as what keeps a player moving after contacting the ball. It says that momentum ends only when the player regains balance and control, or stops moving toward the non-volley zone. Rule 9.B.1 says a fault only occurs while the ball is live, except for non-volley zone violations involving momentum. So if you lunge to punch away a floating third, win the point, and then stumble onto the kitchen line, that is still your fault. Hit it from a split-step, not from a run.
What are the most common fourth-shot mistakes?
- Speeding up a ball below the net. You have to hit up on it, so it arrives slow and rising, and a set opponent will counter it. Dink it and wait.
- Hitting to the stationary player. They are the best-prepared person on the court. Hit to the one still moving.
- Volleying balls that were going out. A rising drive at shoulder height is a gift. Let it go past.
- Backing off the line to play a drop off the bounce. It feels safe, but it hands the serving team the time they needed to get forward.
- Swinging at a drive. A short, firm block volley beats a swing.
How do you practice the fourth shot?
- The four-shot game. Play normal points, but after the fourth shot, stop and score it. The returning team gets a point if their fourth forced a pop-up or an error, and the serving team gets one if the fourth handed them the net. Ten minutes of this shows you how often the fourth decides things.
- Third-shot mix drill. One partner at the baseline feeds a random mix of drops and drives. The other stands at the kitchen and calls “low,” “high” or “drive” before each contact. Switch after 20 balls.
- Moving-target dinks. The baseline player hits a drop and walks forward every time. The kitchen player’s only job is to land the fourth at the walker’s feet.
All three need only a partner and a court. With open play moving indoors across New England this fall, they are an easy way to use a gym court when the ladder is full. Our indoor pickleball guide lists where to play by state.
Frequently asked questions
What is the fourth shot in pickleball?
It is the returning team’s shot in response to the serving team’s third shot. The serve is the first shot, the return is the second, the third comes from the serving team, and the fourth comes from the team that received the serve.
Can you volley the fourth shot in pickleball?
Yes. The two-bounce rule only requires the serve and the return of serve to bounce. The fourth shot is the first ball in the rally that can be volleyed, as long as you are outside the non-volley zone and your momentum does not carry you into it.
Should you attack the third shot drop?
Only if it is above the net when you make contact. A drop that stays below the net should be dinked back low, ideally at the feet of the player who is still moving forward. Speeding up a low ball is the most common fourth-shot error.
Who should you hit the fourth shot to?
Usually the opponent who is still moving in from the baseline, and ideally at their feet. The player already set at the kitchen line is balanced and ready, so hitting to them wastes the returning team’s position advantage.
Why do I keep missing my fourth shot?
Most misses come from hitting while still moving or deciding too late. Split-step as the third leaves the opponent’s paddle, and name the ball (low, high, drive or out) before it reaches you so your shot choice is already made.
Want someone to watch your fourth shot in person? I coach in Central Mass, and our coaching directory lists instructors across New England. For the other half of this exchange, see our third-shot drop guide, and for more skill guides, head to Improve Your Game.
Inspired by The Dink’s write-up of coach Mari Humberg’s tips on thirds and fourths. Rule text quoted from USA Pickleball’s official rulebook (Rules 9.B.1 and 10.A and the definition of momentum).