Forehand Drop Volley - Video and Analysis

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When you meet a volley at least a foot above the top of the net, it's generally easy and most effective to simply hit it firmly in a straight line toward your target on the court. When the ball gets below the top of the net, though, this easy option no longer exists. You have to make the ball rise to get it over the net, and if you hit it up with any real power, it will go out.

Given that you can't hit low volleys with much power, you have three options:

1. Hit deep.
2. Hit a sharp angle.
3. Hit very short.

In each case, a low bounce is preferable, primarily because it gives your opponent less time to get to the ball. The easiest way to make a low ball rise over the net, but still bounce low on your opponent's side, is to hit with backspin. If your backspin volley is very short, it's a drop volley. The backspin on a drop volley contributes to the effective shortness of the shot, slowing (or even reversing) the forward motion of the ball. The whole idea of a drop volley is to get the ball to bounce twice before your opponent can get to it, so the shorter the second bounce, the better.

Key points:

Assume a right-handed hitter.

• Grip: If you use a Continental or an Eastern grip for your other volleys, the same grip should work well for drop volleys. The Semi-Western and Western grips are poorly suited to volleys in general, and they would be even less suitable for drop volleys.
• Footwork: After the usual split-step, a long step forward with your left foot will help you get down to the low ball. Both knees will bend quite a bit, with your right knee dropping close to the ground, as if you were about to kneel on it.
• Backswing: Use a short backswing that starts the racquet face roughly as far back as your shoulder and at least a foot higher than where you'll meet the ball.
• Swing path: Swing somewhat forward, but a little more downward, brushing down the back of the ball to create backspin.
• Point of contact: Meet the ball roughly as far forward as your front knee. As the ball meets your strings, let the racquet "give" to take the speed off the ball. To create this "give," you'll let the racquet head drop downward in response to the ball's impact.
• Follow through: You'll naturally follow through very briefly downward and a little forward.