How to Hit Effective Drop Shots in Tennis

It may not have the panache of a screaming, topspin cross-court winner, or the flashiness of an overhead smash that bounces into the stands, but a perfectly hit drop shot can be every bit as devastating.Whether used to exploit an opponent's lack of foot speed, or simply to take him out of his rhythm, knowing how to execute this finesse shot will, if used sparingly, give you a weapon every bit as lethal as any of the power shots.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Tennis equipment
• Access to tennis courts
• Practice partner

During Practice

1. The drop shot is a shot that needs a delicate and confident touch. Because it's generally regarded to be a shot that loses its effectiveness when overused, many players don't consider it a bread-and-butter shot, and neglect practicing it. Of course, they also tend to mess it up when they try it during a match. Practice this shot enough that you'll feel comfortable using it when the opportunity arises during a match.

2. Take to the practice court and have a partner feed balls to you from mid-court, as you stand at the service line on your side of the net. As you return each ball, create underspin by gently brushing down the back of the ball as you move your racket downward. The face of the racket needs to be somewhat open and the stroke needs to be gentle to minimize the bounce on the other side of the net. A perfectly hit drop shot may even bounce back toward the net, making retrieval for your opponent even more difficult.

3. Adjust. If the ball is bouncing too high, your racket is probably a little too open, or tilted back, and you need to close it a little. Similarly, if the ball is bouncing too deep in the court, you'll need to take pace off the ball and impart more spin. A drop shot that lands too deep will just be a short ball that your opponent can capitalize on.

4. Move back. After you find yourself hitting shots to your liking, move back a step or two and continue to practice hitting them. Keep up the drill until you're comfortable hitting shots from varying distances from the net. The further back you get, the more difficult the shot becomes. Don't bother practicing the shot from the baseline, though. Playing a drop shot from the baseline smacks of desperation and puts your opponent in control of the point since they'll have more time to get to the ball.

During a Match

5. Disguise your shot. Telegraphing your intent to hit a drop shot by using a short backswing with the racket tilted back, tips off your opponent to your next shot, giving them more time to run to the net to pick it off. Try pulling the racket back the way you would for your ground strokes, and adjust at the last second. If they're expecting another ground stroke, they'll likely be around the baseline and less able to come in quickly enough to retrieve the drop shot.

6. Consider your opponent. This shot will be more effective against certain types of players than others. If you're playing an explosive serve and volley player who's comfortable coming to net at every opportunity, it might not be as effective as it would against a steady baseliner who's more at ease with lateral movement than coming forward.

7. Pick your moments. This is not a shot to throw out there randomly. If you see your opponent back behind the baseline or pulled wide off the court, then a deftly played, short drop-shot might just be the ticket. The closer they are inside the baseline, however, the trickier it is to pull off.

8. Follow it in. After you hit the drop shot, continue to move forward to cut off any shot that comes back should your attempt not be a clean winner. Retreating after hitting a dropper is a bad play and leaves you vulnerable to a similar shot from your opponent.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure that you're not using too much wrist in the shot. The downward motion of the racket should come from the shoulders and elbow for a steady, controlled shot.
• A good way to work on the necessary touch for this shot is to practice catching the ball on your racket strings without it bouncing. As in the drop shot, the gentle cupping motion deadens the movement of the ball. When you can kill the momentum of the ball on the racket like this, the drop shot should become easier to execute.
• Don't overdo it. This is a play with a small margin of error, and if used without enough cut and touch on the ball you'll gift your opponent a nice short, high bouncing ball to pounce on. Not only that, but use it too often during a match and it'll lose its effectiveness, as your opponent begins to read it.
• Don't try this shot when you're in a defensive position. This shouldn't be a shot that gets you out of trouble. Rather, it should be one that creates trouble for your opponent. It should be an aggressive shot, with you dictating the point.

Resources

• Drop shot instructional video

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