Welcome players, as we head into the competitive months its time to refine those crucial elements that distinguish the savvy competitor from the simply powerful. Two strokes that can elevate your match strategy— particularly when facing skilled net rushing opponents are the Lob and the Drop shot. These two shots when used thoughtfully, become weapons that can take over points and leave opponents scrambling to adjust.
LET’S START WITH THE LOB
This shot isn’t just a defensive “get out of jail” card. Executed properly the lob can be an offensive stroke that disrupts your opponent’s rhythm and keeps them guessing and tires them out.
1. Placement is Key. For an advanced player, aim for depth and height on your lob, getting it over your opponents reach but keeping it in play. A high lob with topspin that lands deep forces your opponent back, often buying you time to reset and prepare for the next rally.
2. Anticipate and Execute. A great lob starts with reading your opponent’s position. Watch for when they come in too close to the net or overcommit on a low volley, that’s your opportunity to slip in a lob and take control of the rally.
3. Practice varieties of the Lob: If you’re confident with a standard defensive Lob, try adding in topspin lobs to your repertoire. The spin variant can be executed even from mid-court and arcs down quickly after clearing the opponent making it harder to retrieve.
THE PRECISION OF THE DROP SHOT
The drop shot requires a surgeon’s touch. At the advanced level it’s not enough to merely float the ball over the net, you want to disguise your drop shot until the last possible moment and place it perfectly to break up your opponent’s pace and positioning.
1. Disguise is Essential: A well disguised drop shot is nearly impossible to predict. From the same body position as a typical ground stroke adjust your wrist at the last moment softening the grip to “feather” the ball just over the net. The disguise keeps your opponent in limbo, buying you precious moments as they react.
2. Targeting and Placement: Don’t just aim for the center of the court, use angles to make your drop shot especially punishing. If your opponent is near the baseline make them work by targeting the sideline or adding a little backspin so the ball dies quickly after it bounces.
3. Use the Drop Shot to set up other plays: Even if the drop shot itself doesn’t win the point it often disrupts your opponent’s rhythm. A smart play is to set up a drop shot that pulls your opponent in, and then be ready for their response with a pass down the line or a lob over their head.
COMBINING THE LOB AND DROP SHOT
Mastering these shots individually is powerful but combining them is what separates an advanced player. A well- executed drop shot draws your opponent in, creating an ideal opportunity to lob over them on the next shot. Conversely, hitting a few deep lobs throughout the match can push your opponent back behind the baseline, setting up room for a surprise drop shot to win points outright.
The combination of back and forth keeps even seasoned players guessing. They’ll tire from the constant positional changes and over time begin to play defensively giving you the upper hand.
This season, let your opponents chase down your shots constantly, embrace the drop shot and lob as key tools in your arsenal and prepare to dominate with a balanced blend of precision, disguise, and strategy.
See you on the courts!
