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Mastering the dastardly drop shot - is it the trickiest shot in tennis?
Today we cover the drop shot - beloved and hated in equal measure by all levels of the tennis hierarchy - from the pros on tour to Pauline down at the Wednesday evening club social. Read on for some key tips to play this shot like a virtuoso.
It’s a common situation. The rally is grinding, deep in the court, and suddenly, a thought flickers: maybe it’s time for the drop shot… It's a whisper of genius, a tantalizing promise of a quick point, a silent weapon to disrupt the rhythm.
You swing gracefully. The ball floats gently over the net, barely bouncing, leaving your opponent flat-footed and you feeling like Carlos Alcaraz (one of my all-time favourites is Maria Sharapova’s stunning effort at the Final of the 2015 Australian Open).
Or instead, it catches the tape, lands in the net, or bounces twice before the line, leaving you with a stomach-churning regret accompanied by a scratch of the head.
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