In today’s blong we’re going to talk about how to hit a topspin third shot drop.
The first thing we want you to know is that this is a very advanced shot. So, if you’re a beginner and are having trouble with your regular third shot drop, go read our other blogs on third shot drop technique.
If you’re and advanced or intermediate player, this is a great shot to add to your arsenal.
A couple of great things that this shot does is that it’s going to create topspin which means it’s going to ascend and then descend a lot quicker than a regular third shot drop. By using a brushing motion over the ball, it’s going to create the spin and drop really quickly into the kitchen relative to regular ball.
Also, as it hits the ground, it’s going to accelerate. This will make it pretty tough for your opponent to be aggressive and hit an offensive ball. It will also make it hard for them to judge the depth.
As you’re hitting your third, it’s going to be a lot harder for your opponent to decide whether to volley that ball or let it bounce.
The first thing to do when you start executing the shot is to get in a semi closed stance with your shoulder perpendicular to the net.
Next, you’re going to drop your paddle by your right knee (assuming you’re a right-hander).
You’re then going to push up your paddle with a brushing motion from low to high. You should end around your left shoulder.
One thing to keep in mind is that it’s not a fast paddle head speed. You’re not whipping it really fast. You want this ball to get up to down in a short distance, landing around or in the volley zone. It’s a slow to medium pace shot.
Make sure to also keep your eye on the ball and contact the ball out in front of you.
The ball might actually travel pretty high over the net but it should drop pretty quickly.
We’re now going to discuss a quick drill to help you develop this shot.
Similar to a lot of our other drills, we want you to start up at the non-volley zone. You’re going to start using the same stroke we just described above.
Start with your paddle by your right knee and do the low to high brush-up motion.
Once you get comfortable with the stroke in that spot (at the non-volley zone), take a step back. Get used to the topspin that’s coming off your paddle.
A lot of top players actually use this topspin forehand third shot drop.
One thing you want to note with this shot is that you want to make sure you’re in a great position. If you’re on the move or you’re rushing to the ball this is not a shot that you want to execute.
If you execute the shot correctly this can really cause errors or pop-ups from your opponent.
Go out there, try this shot and have fun.