The third-shot drop
The third-shot drop is a soft shot from the baseline that lands in the opponent's kitchen and lets the serving team move forward. Learn why it works, how to hit it and how to practice it.
Why the third shot matters
Because of the two-bounce rule, the serving team must let the return bounce, so both servers usually start the third shot from near the baseline. Meanwhile, the returning team has walked up to the kitchen line. The serving team is at a disadvantage: the opponents are at the net and they are 44 feet away from it.
The third-shot drop solves that. It is a soft, arcing shot that lands in the opponent's kitchen. Since the ball lands low and in the kitchen, the net team cannot volley it hard or attack it easily. That buys the serving team time to move forward.
How to hit it
- Get set. Move to the ball and stop before you hit. A drop hit on the run is much harder to control.
- Low to high. Start the paddle below the ball and lift, using your legs and shoulder rather than your wrist.
- Open face. Tilt the paddle face slightly upward.
- Gentle speed. Think of tossing the ball underhand into a bucket on the other side of the net.
- Apex on your side. The highest point of the arc should be before the net, so the ball is already falling as it crosses.
Aim for the opponent's kitchen, ideally the middle or the backhand of the player in front of you. A drop that lands a foot or two past the kitchen line is not perfect, but it is often still hard to attack if it stays low.
Move forward after the drop
The drop is only useful if you follow it. Walk forward as the ball travels, split-stepping when your opponent hits. If your drop was good, keep moving to the kitchen line. If it was high, stop and get ready to defend or reset. See the transition zone.
Drop vs drive vs lob
| Third shot | When it works | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Drop | Default, against a team set at the net | Pops up if mishit |
| Drive | Against a short or weak return, or a slow net team | Easy counter if the net team is ready |
| Lob | Rarely, against a team crowding the net | Easy overhead if short |
Many strong players drive and then drop: hit a hard third shot, then use the fifth shot drop off the weaker reply.
Drills
- Drop ladder. One player stands at the kitchen and feeds deep. The other hits drops from the baseline. After three good drops land in the kitchen, step one stride forward and repeat until reaching the kitchen line.
- Bucket target. Place a cone 2 feet inside the opponent's kitchen. Count how many of 30 drops land within 3 feet of it.
- Live third shot. Play points that start with a serve and return, where the serving team must hit a drop. Score only the points the serving team wins.
Common mistakes
- Swinging too hard, so the ball sails into the kitchen line player's strike zone.
- Using only the wrist, which makes the shot inconsistent.
- Hitting while moving.
- Admiring the shot instead of moving forward.
A good drop does not need to be perfect. It needs to be unattackable. Low and in or near the kitchen is enough.
