Coaching the Third Shot Drop – Domenika Turković’s Method
Stay low. Push soft. Hit smart.
Focus 1: Stay Low Through the Shot
The third shot drop begins with the legs, not the arms. Players should lower their center of gravity before the swing begins, creating stability and control. Knees stay bent, the back remains straight, and the head is still—just like when preparing for a dink. If players rise too early or swing mostly with the upper body, the shot often floats or sails long. Staying low allows the hands to stay soft and the motion to stay smooth. A helpful way to train this is with the Low-to-High Walk-In Drill. After hitting a third shot drop, the player takes two to three balanced steps forward while remaining in a low, athletic stance. This reinforces the idea of sinking first, then swinging, and maintaining posture even while moving into the court.
Focus 2: Keep Your Eyes Locked & Head Down
Many errors on the third shot happen because players lift their head too soon. The goal is to watch the ball all the way through contact, keeping the head quiet and steady. A still head creates smoother timing and helps the paddle connect with the ball consistently. Players should focus on “seeing the swing and feeling the contact” rather than looking ahead to the opponent or the target too early. To train this discipline, coaches can use soft feeds or shadow repetitions with no pressure. The Contact Freeze Drill is especially effective: after hitting the drop, the player freezes the paddle in the finish position for one second while keeping the eyes locked on the contact point. This builds focus, patience, and confidence under pressure.
Focus 3: Push Like a Dink – Controlled, Compact, Confident
The third shot drop is best thought of as a long dink with more legs. The motion should be smooth, compact, and controlled, with no big swing or wristy flick. Instead, the player pushes the ball with a gentle lift, using the shoulder and hand to guide the shot. The paddle face should remain slightly open, and contact should be made just in front of the body. By treating the shot as an extension of the dink, players avoid overhitting and learn to trust a simple, repeatable motion. The emphasis is always on pushing, not slapping, which creates a confident and consistent third shot that sets up the rally.
Focus 4: Keep the Ball Waist-High or Lower
Controlling the height of the third shot drop is critical for consistency and safety. Players should aim to keep the ball at waist height or below, avoiding shots that rise to chest level or higher, which give opponents an easy opportunity to attack. Visualizing an imaginary “strike zone” at the opponent’s waist can help players understand where to aim. The goal is to land the ball in the non-volley zone or just beyond it, using a gentle arc that forces a controlled, non-aggressive return. If players have difficulty maintaining the proper height, practicing into a small box taped at net height is highly effective. This builds both accuracy and awareness, teaching players to keep their shots low, safe, and tactically sound.
“The drop isn’t about power—it’s about purpose. If you stay low, keep your eyes on the ball, and push it with intention, the game slows down for you. And when the game slows down, you’re in control.”
