Behold the reemergence of the drop shot........I knew it was a fairly new shot now days.....

[a kennedy]

Roger Federer saw it as a ‘panic shot’ but the drop shot is back in vogue thanks to a greater understanding of its effectiveness.

A little more than two years ago, Daniil Medvedev was working his way through the early rounds of the Miami Open when he noticed a distinct shift in his opponents’ tactics. A few days earlier, he had been convincingly beaten in the Indian Wells final by Carlos Alcaraz, who dismantled him with a relentless stream of drop shots. Suddenly, everyone was hitting drop shots against him.

“A lot of guys maybe saw the final, so they started to do only drop shots against me,” says Medvedev, smiling widely. “It’s not the same. It’s like: ‘OK, continue doing it. I’m there.’ Against [Alcaraz], I’m not there.”

Medvedev had the last laugh that week as he won the title in Miami, but his observations were reflective of a wider shift. Although the drop shot has long been a common tactic it has received greater attention in recent years as many players have come to understand how effective it can be.

There was a time when drop shots were largely considered the territory of craftier players, relied on by those whose weight of shot was insufficient. Despite the peerless variation in his game, even Roger Federer was sceptical of the drop shot early in his career, describing it as a “panic shot”. Nowadays, there is a clear consensus that the drop shot perfectly complements an increasingly powerful, athletic sport. “I’ve had so many players come to me, saying: ‘I don’t know what shot you’re going to choose,’” says Ons Jabeur. “That’s the beauty of it.”

https://www.theguardian.com/us

[LisaM]

1. I love seeing a good drop shot.

I get bored with players constantly slamming the ball.

[malaise]

2. Good read

A fabulous shot

[a kennedy]

3. Carlos used to be the drop shot king.......now he's actually kinda backed off it......might just be

who he plays……gotta check that closer. He in 2023 and 2024 was a gawd of the drop shot. I love it when it is done to perfection.

[tishaLA]

4. When Carlos was a junior, Juan Carlos told him mid-match not to his another drop shot

And he hit one again like two plays later, saying "sorry, I can't help it." LOL. Drop shots IMO work best with heavy hitters like Carlos, Sinner, Fils, Draper, etc. because they can hit a forehand that pushes you off the court and then, when you're in a defensive position, hit a drop shot that forces you not only forward, but also cross court. Good luck unless you have the speed of Alcaraz or de Minaur.