Drop Shot

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Full shoulder turn, racket back — look like you're hitting a drive.

Disguised as a full groundstroke, then softened at the last instant so the ball barely clears the net and dies on the bounce.

Key points

•Preparation looks like a normal groundstroke
•Soften the grip at the last moment
•Open the racket face — let the ball slide off the strings
•Minimal follow-through — almost a dead stop

Practice with Coach Elena

Camera setup tips

· Place the camera side-on to you, 2 to 3 metres away.
· Keep your whole body in frame, head to feet.
· Phone on a tripod or a laptop webcam both work.
· Perform the movement, pause, repeat. Your coach speaks every 15 seconds.

Theory & Technique

The drop shot is a touch shot that relies entirely on deception. If your opponent reads it early, they'll run it down easily, so the key is making it look exactly like a groundstroke for as long as possible. Take the racket back normally with a full shoulder turn. As the ball approaches, loosen your grip dramatically at the last instant and open the racket face, letting the ball slide off the strings with almost no pace. The follow-through is extremely short — the racket nearly stops at contact. Adding a little backspin by cutting under the ball helps it die after the bounce. The best drop shots are hit when your opponent is behind the baseline and expects a deep ball.

Fun Fact

Fabrice Santoro, nicknamed 'The Magician', was so skilled at disguising his drop shot that opponents often didn't realise it was a drop shot until the ball had already bounced twice. He hit more drop shot winners in his career than any other modern player.

Watch the real thing

Learn from real coaches first. Your live scoring compares you to the reference figure above; these videos are for learning, and stay with their creators on YouTube.