Strategic weapon: Why the drop shot is a Roland Garros staple

Clay courts present unique challenges—sliding, tricky bounces, extended rallies—that often reward strategic play over sheer power. That's why the drop shot is such a smart and effective tactic. A favorite of crafty all-courters such as reigning Roland Garros champion Carlos Alcaraz, it’s more than a flashy trick: When used wisely, it can completely shift the momentum of a rally, create space or finish the point outright.

Mastering the drop shot will give your game a sharp edge when playing on the dirt. Here's why it's especially potent on clay—and how to execute it successfully.

Why drop shots thrive on clay

Bounces enhance its effectiveness
Clay does unusual things to a tennis ball. For one thing, it slows down the shot after it hits the court. This gives players more time to reach the ball, but also allows well-executed drop shots to die more quickly after landing. Clay also accentuates the spin of the shot. Putting backspin on a drop shot will cause it to check up, again making it harder to chase down.

Exploits defensive court positioning
Because of the tricky bounces caused by the uneven clay surface, players often set up shop several feet behind the baseline to have more time to react. A good drop shot can exploit this, forcing them to sprint forward and cover more court.

Forces players out of their comfort zone
Clay generally favors baseline grinders. When you pull such players forward with a drop shot, you're taking them out of their safe space, increasing the chances of errors or weak replies.

Injects variety
Long rallies are the norm on clay, and hitting through opponents is more difficult than on faster surfaces. Mixing in drop shots keeps opponents guessing and can break the pattern by creating gaps in the court for the next shot.

How to hit a successful drop shot

Time it right

It’s best to use the drop shot when your opponent is deep in the court, off-balance, or stretched wide, but you shouldn’t follow suit. Being situated inside the baseline means your drop shot will have a shorter distance to travel to reach the net and reduce the time to retrieve it. Similarly, attempting the drop shot off a medium-paced ball right in your strike zone—not too high or low—will increase your chances for success.

Create disguise
The best drop shots are the ones your opponent doesn’t see coming. You want your setup and backswing to replicate your full ground stroke for as long as possible. That means if you normally have a two-handed backhand, use both in your takeback; if you have a western grip on your forehand, hold the racquet that way until changing to a Continental grip just before executing. This sells the shot and delays your opponent’s reaction.

Soften the hand and wrist
The drop shot is a touch and feel shot. You typically need to take pace off the incoming ball in order to return it short in the court. Try to gently cradle the ball on the strings with a slightly open racquet face and gently toss it over the net.

Use backspin for control
Even though it falls into the groundstroke category, the drop shot’s technique more closely resembles a volley. Both share an abbreviated, high-to-low swing path that incorporate slice or backspin to help the ball stop and stay low after the bounce. On clay, the ball won’t skid as much as on faster surfaces, so a gently floated backspin shot dies and almost stops moving.

Placement matters
Aim just over the net and toward the sidelines. Crosscourt drop shots give you more margin for error (because the net is lower and the court is longer), while down-the-line ones can be riskier but die sooner. Drop shots are about depth, so missing one wide is a cardinal sin. A good litmus test for a decent drop shot is the ball should bounce at least twice in the opponent’s service box.

Follow it in

Even if you execute an effective drop shot, you should anticipate your opponent will still scramble up and return it. By moving forward you force them to do more than just shovel the return over the net. This can often draw an error or an easy volley to finish the point.