Deja-Vu Drop Shot
The drop shot seems to be making a resurgence, especially in men’s tennis. Serb, Novak Djokovic, is very fond of hitting drops shots on every surface, but even more so on the red clay. Scotsman, Andy Murray is also a big fan of the drop shot. Both of these players tend to drop shot a lot during their matches and sometimes it seems that they hit even more drop shots, often too many, when they are feeling the pressure. There
have been several top female players in the past who had effective drops shots, e.g. Chris Evert, Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, Martina Hingis. However, few top male players have used the drop a lot although Andre Agassi and Bjorn Borg selectively hit effective drop shots. Clearly, surprise is a key element of an effective drop shot both because of the timing of when it is hit in a rally, as well as the disguise of the stroke itself. The clay courts make the drop shots more effective because of the slower court speed, as well as the fact that it is more difficult for players to change directions on the slippery clay courts. As the French Open approaches, one will notice a few more drop shots being played. However, even on the slow, red clay of Roland Garros, if the drop shot is hit too often it loses its potency. The element of surprise is still paramount…
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