Erne and ATP Shots in Pickleball: What They Are, Why They're Legal
Last updated: July 2026
The two flashiest shots in the sport, and the difference between them.
Both are legal under USA Pickleball rules, and both let you attack a ball without the net or kitchen getting in your way. An Erne is hit from right beside the net post — you jump around the kitchen (not through it) and volley a cross-court ball at net height. An ATP goes around the outside of the post entirely rather than over the net, and there's no height restriction on it at all — the ball just has to land in bounds. The Erne is about avoiding the kitchen; the ATP is about avoiding the net.
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The Erne: going around the kitchen, not through it
An Erne is hit from just outside the kitchen, next to the net post — you read a cross-court dink coming, jump or step around the outside of the kitchen (never through it), and volley the ball out of the air at net height before it has a chance to sit up. It's completely legal, with one condition: it becomes a fault only if you touch the non-volley zone or its extension at any point during the volley or when you land.
That last part matters — it's not just about where your feet start, it's about the whole motion including where you come down. Land inside the kitchen line after an otherwise clean Erne, and it's still a fault.
The ATP: going around the post, not over the net
An Around-the-Post shot is a completely different idea. Instead of hitting the ball over the net, you hit it around the outside of the net post entirely — usually when you've been pulled wide off the court by a shot. USA Pickleball's rules don't require the ball to cross over the net at any height; it only has to travel around the post and land in your opponent's court. That means there's no height restriction at all on an ATP — you can hit it below the height of the net, since it's never going over the net in the first place.
Why people mix these two up
Both shots look similarly spectacular and both happen near the net post, which is why they get confused. The actual distinction is simple once you separate the two ideas: an Erne is about legally avoiding a kitchen fault by jumping around it, while an ATP is about the ball's flight path entirely skipping the net by going around the post. One is a positioning trick, the other is a ball-path trick.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Erne shot legal in pickleball?
Yes. It's a fault only if you touch the non-volley zone or its extension during the volley or on your landing — otherwise, jumping around the kitchen to volley a cross-court ball is completely legal.
Does an ATP shot have to clear the net?
No. Since the ball travels around the outside of the post rather than over the net, there's no height restriction — it just has to land in your opponent's court.
What's the difference between an Erne and an ATP?
An Erne is hit from beside the net post, going around the kitchen to volley a ball at net height. An ATP is hit from well outside the court, sending the ball around the post instead of over the net.
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