Third shot drop

The third shot drop is the shot the serving team hits on the third ball of a point, right after the serve and the return. Instead of driving it hard, the server or their partner hits a soft, arching shot that lands in the opponent's kitchen, which slows the point down and buys time to move up from the baseline to the net.

It matters because the serving team starts every point at a disadvantage: the return of serve usually pushes them deep, while the receiving team can move to the net right away. A well placed third shot drop levels the court position by letting the serving team close the distance safely instead of racing forward while the ball is still live and attackable.

A common mistake is rushing the shot or hitting it too flat, which leaves it sitting up in the kitchen for an easy putaway. Others try to drive the third shot instead, which can work but is riskier since it does not buy time to advance. Some players use a topspin drive to the feet as an alternative to the classic soft drop.