Does dropping the ball in front of you and then hitting it help at all?

[Bubbagumptennis]

Just wondering... to me it seems pointless but I've seen older players do it

[LeeD]

Helps totally.
Don't you hit your groundies after a bounce?
You can adjust height of ball and how hard you swing, the way you swing, and your positioning with drop feeds.
Is it truly necessary? Nope. But neither is tennis.

[sureshs]

It is for those who cannot feed. I used to be one of them, especially on a cold start rushing back from work on a cold windy day. My arm would not listen to me. Then I changed something and don't have that issue any more.

Feeding balls well is more difficult than playing, you should realize.

[LeeD]

Here's what I've observed.
The guys who hit the first feed on a fly usually hit it high up in the air, not caring if the other person get's a good first feed. Pros can do this, because their practice partners can handle any ball and smack it back.
Most of us can't, so a good feed to the forehand side, hip high, is important to have. We're not trying to win the point on the first feed ball.

[psv255]

If you're starting a rally, drop feeds are usually more controlled than out of the air feeds, unless you can do underhands like many of the pros do.

Repeated drop hits can help practice groundstrokes that create pace.

[slowfox]

Starting rallys I don't.
Practicing groundstroke drills...drop feeding is great (especially when you don't have a practice partner).

[pvaudio]

I honestly think every player needs to know how to properly feed the ball. It may not be a stroke you use in a match, but you can't begin to have a good rally if you start with a horrendous feed.

[pvaudio]

What I still cannot do well is the overhead-lob repetition in warmups. Mostly off the backhand side; balls just land too short. Or it could be that people don't realize the intent is to get the overhead BACK, instead of smacking it away.

[psv255]

Originally Posted by pvaudio

What I still cannot do well is the overhead-lob repetition in warmups.

Exact same problem here. It always ends up over the baseline or on my own service line...

[corners]

I really like self-feeding a bucket of balls to warm up solo before playing serious tennis with a partner. You can really focus on technique things you might be working, focus on hitting relaxed, focus on watching the ball into the strings, hitting lines, holding your racquet with a loose grip, etc. Good for breaking bad habits. Compared to hitting live balls you need to open your racquet face a little off dropped balls, so you might sky the first few your partner hits you after switching to a rally situation, but you can make that adjustment pretty quick without even thinking about it.

[TheCheese]

It helps most in getting the proper spacing that you usually get when you hit a groundstroke.

Before I figured it out I used to always have troubles drop hitting balls and it was because I'd drop the ball much closer to my body than I'd normally hit it.

[sureshs]

Ditto............

[LeeD]

Yeah, the overhead/lob combo is a function of cooperation between both players.
My old practice partners and I could do over 40 in a row, one of us losing interest by then. Lobs to just behind the service line, overheads nice and easy to the service line up the middle.

[ShoeShiner]

Simple and useful.
I always have seen in :
- strokes practice,
- movement patterns drills.

[LeeD]

Also proves to your mind what angles you can hit, how high to hit how hard, and what depths to realistically go for.

[SystemicAnomaly]

Not pointless at all as others have already indicated. It is added groundstroke practice for you and it also gives your hitting partner a bit more rhythm -- it can be a little bit easier for them to split step at the appropriate time.

[UCSF2012]

Andy Murray's last coach drop fed him balls. The process helps solidify muscle memory.