The Dink and Dropshot
The dink requires hitting a short ball flat or with underspin to keep it low, executed by both forehand and backhand. Skilled players use dinks to pin opponents behind the baseline in defensive positions. By brushing under the ball at sharp angles, underspin dinks frustrate attacking momentum. Mixing up direction and spin keeps rivals off balance.
Dinks and Drops Displaying Soft Hands
Furthermore, properly played drop shots demonstrate exceptional ball control and shot selection skill. Top drop shot artists possess “soft hands”, meaning an intuitive court feel. They subtly angle the racket face up, generating backspin. Then, adequate wrist snap makes the ball die abruptly after clearing the net.
Both underspin dinks and cunning drops showcase artful finesse. However, restraint is prudent, as repetition brings diminishing utility when opponents anticipate the attempts. Astute players use them sparingly to surprise rivals. When deployed wisely to upset an enemy’s rhythm at opportune moments, combining dinks and drops comprise crafty weapons for turning the tide.
Mastering Devious Drop Shots
The dropshot requires pristine conditions for success. Therefore, avoid overly difficult attempts when positioned poorly, like deep behind the baseline. Rather, strive for ideal setups to gain an advantage.
For example, establish strong offensive positioning first. Additionally, you can combine shots to create deception – hit a heavy crosscourt forehand drive to move opponent wide. Then follow up with a swift, angled dropshot back behind them to the open court.
If executed correctly, this handy one-two tactic should completely wrongfoot rivals anticipating your next hit out wide. Instead, they turn and sprint forward to a deft drop dying over the net out of reach. The element of surprise makes properly played drops frustratingly effective.
However, restraint is still wise as drops depend tremendously on perfect circumstances. Overusing drops diminishes effectiveness when patterns surface. Save the devious drops to decisively punctuate points with players out of position – at your artful mercy.
