ATP (Around The Post)
A shot that travels around. Not over — the net post and lands in bounds. Legal, and one of the hardest crowd-pleasers in the sport to pull off.
When a ball gets hit wide, it can travel around the net post and still land in. That is an ATP. And it is completely legal. The rulebook only requires the ball to land in bounds. It never says the ball has to go over the net.
ATPs usually start with a sharp cross-court angle that drags a player off the court. The defender sprints, reaches around the post, and threads the ball back at an angle that should not be possible. The margin between a highlight and an out ball is inches.
The counter is prevention. Do not give your opponent the angle in the first place. Keep your cross-court shots from getting too wide, and cover the line the moment you see someone sprinting for the sideline.
See also:Strategy & tactics ·Etiquette