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What are we trying to achieve when we play a drop shot?
Well, we are trying to move our opponent and make it difficult for them to return the ball.
There are 2 ways we can achieve this.
1. We aim for the nick. Providing it’s good, it could be an outright winner.
2. We try to get the ball tight to the sidewall. This is slightly easier for our opponent to reach, but now gives them the problem of trying to control a ball that is stuck to the wall.
Here Rachel wins the rally on the subsequent shot, because she’s put a drop nice and tight to the sidewall.
The down side of the first option is that if we miss the nick, it gives our opponent a ball in the fornt of the court that can beasily be counter attacked. See how easily Nicol returns this drop, and with her good lob changes the dynamics of the rally instantly.
One major factor to consider when deciding which type of drop to hit is where are you hitting it from. A shot hit from close to the sidewall will be easier to stick tight to the wall, and harder to catch the nick. Conversely, a shot struck from nearer the middle of the court will be difficult to glue to the wall, but the angle into the nick is inviting!
So remember to choose carefully which drop you are trying to hit, and to have a clear idea what you want the ball to do.
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