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The Dropshot

by Rob Smith on Tuesday, February 07, 2012

Feb 07

The Dropshot

In recent years we have been seeing a bit of a renaissance in shotmaking with the increased use of the dropshot at the professional level. With such a large number of baseliners, some players have re-discovered its use - taking their opponents away from where they are comfortable; taking advantage of large, gaping strategic holes at the front of the court; and a helpful way to make opponents tired. All players should have dropshots in their repertoires.

How do you do it? Hit with arc and backspin (aka underspin) so you can keep the first and second bounces close to each other. Remember, the dropshot is not a winner - it is a setup shot. If it's well executed, your opponent will get to the ball just before the second bounce, which means he'll be close to the net and have to hit the ball up to get it over. This enables you to volley his shot more easily if you move in to the net or hit a passing shot or a lob more easily from the baseline. If your dropshot is a winner, that's a bonus. Below we talk about four key elements of the dropshot using Bernard Tomic, the current #1 Australian player as an example. (Photos by Gary Ong)

Disguise

Disguise the preparation as much as you can. Bernard normally hits a two-handed backhand and at the last second, he lets go to allow his right hand to make the shot. Hitting a drop shot is more easily done as a one-handed shot, so you'll see him begin to release his left hand right before impact.

Positioning

Look at his positioning. His feet are well inside the baseline. Attempting a dropshot from further back simply gives your opponent more time to run it down, as the ball will have to travel further to get to its intended target.

Contact

Using a "firm but flexible wrist," Bernard turns the racquet under during impact. This movement helps ensure that you take the pace off the ball and you get sufficient arc and spin, allowing the ball to drop just over the net and keeping the first and second bounces close together. If your dropshot is popping up or going too short, it means you rotated your racquet open too quickly. It can take some practice to get the "feel" for the shot.

Finish

When you finish your dropshot your strings should be pointing up as you see Bernard's are here. If your dropshot is too flat, check to see if you are getting to this important check point.

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