Learning the Drop Shot

prattle128

prattle128

Semi-Pro
I don't suppose the knowledgeable people of the Tennis Tips/Instruction Forum have any advice for trying to add such a shot to one's repertoire. While a drop shot on either wings would be nice, I guess I am mainly looking to have a drop shot readily available on my backhand side.

From watching professional players perform the drop shot, it almost looks like a slice, but it is angled much more vertically, and is a very start at the top and slice downwards, with no real follow-through or whatever else. I've tried, but all I really ever do is produce a short ball, which might be nice I guess if I'm looking to try and bring someone into the net, but still, not really something that I am looking for so much as an actual drop shot.

Thanks,
Preston.
 
prattle128 said:
I don't suppose the knowledgeable people of the Tennis Tips/Instruction Forum have any advice for trying to add such a shot to one's repertoire. While a drop shot on either wings would be nice, I guess I am mainly looking to have a drop shot readily available on my backhand side.

From watching professional players perform the drop shot, it almost looks like a slice, but it is angled much more vertically, and is a very start at the top and slice downwards, with no real follow-through or whatever else. I've tried, but all I really ever do is produce a short ball, which might be nice I guess if I'm looking to try and bring someone into the net, but still, not really something that I am looking for so much as an actual drop shot.

Thanks,
Preston.
Click to expand...

You're heading in the right direction until here. On the follow through of a dropshot you should scoop upwards after making contact with the ball. It is difficult for me to explain but I will find you a video just sec.
 
Also the follow through depends on the incoming ball. The joker here doesn't have much of one because of the incoming pace but his hand still moves up towards the end.
 
Yeah I see what you mean, now that you mention it, his hand kind of came up a bit. I guess I will try and feel the follow-through, since after watching some videos as well, it seems like depending upon the ball that is played to them, the follow-through varies as well. Thanks for the input Noveson. Anyone else who has something to say would be most appreciated as well!
 
you have to make sure you keep your wrist and grip relaxed. if the ball your hitting is coming in hard, your shot has to absorb a lot of that energy. if its firm, itll just pop up for an easy put away.

remember, keep relaxed
 
To me the dropshot is just a light and careful bh slice. One thing I notice from pro's is that they don't do it aggressive and deep ball. They do it to short and high bouncing balls.
 
Drop shot is a chic and the slice is the mother of drop shot.

If you have a good slice, you will also have good drop shot for drop shot is derived from a slice.
 
user92626 said:
To me the dropshot is just a light and careful bh slice. One thing I notice from pro's is that they don't do it aggressive and deep ball. They do it to short and high bouncing balls.
Click to expand...

I tend to disagree with this description.

In general, it's more of a scooping motion incorporating heavy backspin. The key is to make the trajectory much higher than a slice and for the ball to land way inside the service line.

Sometimes if the ball is coming in high it more closely resembles a typical slice... but again with a higher ball trajectory and lighter touch. The ball should land as close to the net as possible and die after ground contact.

It's also better to hit the dropshot from a stationary and well balanced stance as opposed to actively moving forward. When moving forward it's very tricky since you have to negate that forward motion to keep the ball from penetrating the court too deeply.


Mahboob Khan said:
Drop shot is a chic and the slice is the mother of drop shot.

If you have a good slice, you will also have good drop shot for drop shot is derived from a slice.
Click to expand...

The drop shot is much more difficult to execute than the slice. It takes a very light touch and as little court penetration as possible.
 
Last edited:
One way I've taught students to begin to understand the concept of the drop shot, is by making them double hit a volley. This is done by having each player volley to each other while, hitting the first shot up and then volleying through. Basically 2 hits. The first short enables them to learn how to take something off the ball, while controlling it, and stepping into the ball to volley. When we incorporate that into a drop volley, we just tell them to hit the shot like the first volley (up with a more closed face) and step into the shot to get depth (enough to get over the net). The more they master the shot, the more they can undercut the shot for backwards slice.

Could work for you.. try it out.
 
Sup2Dresq said:
One way I've taught students to begin to understand the concept of the drop shot, is by making them double hit a volley. This is done by having each player volley to each other while, hitting the first shot up and then volleying through. Basically 2 hits. The first short enables them to learn how to take something off the ball, while controlling it, and stepping into the ball to volley. When we incorporate that into a drop volley, we just tell them to hit the shot like the first volley (up with a more closed face) and step into the shot to get depth (enough to get over the net). The more they master the shot, the more they can undercut the shot for backwards slice.

Could work for you.. try it out.
Click to expand...

Nice post, I'm trying that tonight.
 
prattle128 said:
I don't suppose the knowledgeable people of the Tennis Tips/Instruction Forum have any advice for trying to add such a shot to one's repertoire. While a drop shot on either wings would be nice, I guess I am mainly looking to have a drop shot readily available on my backhand side.

From watching professional players perform the drop shot, it almost looks like a slice, but it is angled much more vertically, and is a very start at the top and slice downwards, with no real follow-through or whatever else. I've tried, but all I really ever do is produce a short ball, which might be nice I guess if I'm looking to try and bring someone into the net, but still, not really something that I am looking for so much as an actual drop shot.

Thanks,
Preston.
Click to expand...

Not really knowledgeable, but here's my two cents anyway.

The drop shot is a little tricky to pull off, but if you have a decent bh slice, it shouldn't be too hard. What I do is use a similar form, but I don't step into the ball, and I scoop through it more to create the heavy backspin. Also, I keep my wrist soft, instead of firm like on most groundstrokes.

Once you get the motion, what you need is a truckload of practice. Try hitting at least a hundred-two hundred a day. You'll get it! Even if I don't go play at a court, I like to hit all my groundstrokes/volleys against a concrete wall for a good fifty or so times every day, just to keep up the form.
 
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