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The Sneaky Dropshot

 

For a beginning level player, here are the top three problems and their solutions:

 

Note: Use only under special conditions. A dropshot (or touch shot) is a dink over the net, used when your opponent is standing deep behind the baseline, and they send you a shallow, slower-paced ball.
 
  1. Shot Doesn't Go Far Enough (Prep) — Take the racket back further than a volley during your back swing, with your free hand on the throat. Lean into the ball and "chop" downward.
  2. The Ball Doesn't "Drop;" it just bounces like normal (Contact) — Slice or put backspin on the shot. 
  3. The Ball is Going to Deep in My Opponent's Court (Follow Thru) — In addition to extending or emphasizing your "chopping" or "slicing" motion, you can also reduce your momentum towards the net by using a cross behind step in your follow through.  (See Fed demonstrate below.)

How To Dropshot: 5 Step Tutorial

 

  1. Position: Start in the ready position, ideally, close to the next around the service line.  Your opponent should be deep on their side of the court.

  2. Grip: Continental (gives slice, control)

  3. Approach the ball and pivot sideway on. Use side steps to adjust your position.

  4. Bring the racket back a little further than you would a volley. Point at the ball with your free hand.

  5. Shift weight onto forward foot. "Chop" down on the ball.  There is no follow through.

2 Neat Dropshot Drills Ian

 

  • Toss the ball up and smoothly, softly cradle the ball with your racket.

  • Advanced: Have someone toss or hit to you over the net. The ball will be coming at you faster and less controlled environment. Track the ball with your eye and racket, 

Why Should You Dropshot?

 

  • Hit a dropshot early in the match and your opponent will ball closer to the baseline for the rest of the match.

  • Keep them guessing (defensive) instead of focusing on their attack.

How to Work a Lobber

 

Don't hit deep. Bring the "Lobber" off his/her game by bringing them in, uncomfortably close, with a dropshot. Then finish them off with a volley.

Footwork: Watch Roger Federer Reduce Speed

 

  1. Roger is constantly changing the pace of the ball to confuse his opponent and force hitting errors.  (This is a more advanced skill.)

  2. Roger patiently waits for his opponent to be positioned back behind the service line, or at least expecting the next ball to be deep, before attacking with the drop volley.

  3. In order to take pace off the ball, most players do a cross step behind their lead leg.  This is called a carioca step. This is  an intermediate skill as well.

Dropshots with a Focus on Grips

 

Coach Kyril demonstrates how to shift to a continental grip dropshot from all the different grips.

 

Beginner Dropshot Drill

 

Stand at the net and slice it over so that it bounce back to you.  They say Federer can do this 30 times in a row.  How many can you do?

 

3 Dropshot Mistakes

 

  1. Problem – trying to keep your dropshot low over the net. This is a problem because it causes the second bounce to move further to the opponent. Instead, give it some more hieght over the net so the second bounce is almost right on top of itself (closer to the net).

  2. PROBLEM – hitting dropshots from deep behind the baseline is a cardinal sin! You give your opponent way to much time to react. Fake your opponent and play it a step or two inside the baseline.

  3. PROBLEM - The idea of a "soft" dropshot leads to a punch over the net instead of a biting backspin with decent racket head speed. It's the backspin that will be the main factor in preventing your opponent from getting the ball back.

 

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