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Drop shot

Padel / Popular

Finish softly at the net with the dejada.

What coaches agree on

  • Play the shot when you're already close to the net and you've pushed your opponent back toward the rear of the court.
  • The shot's job is to pressure the opponent and pull them out of position — even a modest one that just moves them counts as a success.
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  • Pick a ball that is dropping through roughly net-to-chest height at a medium pace before you attempt it.
  • Let the paddle absorb the ball's pace with a soft grip so the ball dies on the bounce instead of springing away.

Common mistakes

  • Players often prepare the drop shot differently from their normal shots — a stiff wrist, a firm grip, an early change of stance — which telegraphs it to the opponent.
  • Attempting a drop shot off a ball that is already coming back with backspin rarely works, since there is no way to add enough extra effect to control it and it tends to stick in the net — it plays far better off a flat or topspin ball.