A well-honed drop shot is one of the most effective skills to develop in beach tennis. A properly timed and placed shot that drops dead just over the net is near impossible to get, much less return effectively. In this article we are going to go over the correct technique for a drop shot as well as training you can employ to take your play to the next level.
Technique
- Grip: first things first, you need to be holding your racket correctly. You will be holding the racket in a “continental grip” which looks like this
As shown in the pictures, the racket should be held with the beam of the paddle facing up. Your index finger should be slightly above the rest of your grip, and you should be able to maneuver the racket as though you were hammering a nail.
- Footing: Prior to lunging for the shot your body should be facing the net. As for your footing when hitting the drop shot, that depends on whether you are hitting a forehand or backhand shot.
For a forehand shot you should step with the opposite foot of your racket hand.
Whereas for a backhanded drop shot you will be stepping with the same foot as your racket hand.
- Strength of Grip: you will be holding the paddle more loosely when you hit the ball so as to minimize its power coming off the racket.
- Where to take the shot: try to take the shot as HIGH as possible. If you can receive the ball around head height it will give you optimal control over the shot.
- How to hit: keep the face of the paddle up and minimize your body’s movement. Short movement is key. The point of the drop shot is to hit the ball just over the net, and this is done by taking most of the power out of the shot. The less movement in your body when hitting the ball, the less power your shot will have.
How To Train
There are a number of ways to strengthen your drop shot. Perhaps the easiest and most fun is with other players. You can play 1v1, 2v1 or 2v2 on a shortened court. If you have well defined boundaries taking up roughly ¼ of regular court dimensions, players will be forced to solely employ drop shots to keep the ball in play. In short time this will drastically help improve your short game.
There is also equipment you can purchase. If you have a coach or training partner Sandever’s Drop Shot Beach Training Kit is fantastic for perfecting your drop shot and lobs.
