The return of the stop ball?

[gzhpcu]

Does it only seem to me, or are players hitting a lot more stop balls (and pretty good ones at that) lately?

[johnyandell]

By stop ball you mean?? Guess that's how far away it went...

[gzhpcu]

By stop ball you mean?? Guess that's how far away it went...

Sorry, I meant drop shot. Stop ball is German! Yikes! (Comes from speaking English, German, Italian, French and some Spanish!)

[stotty]

Sorry, I meant drop shot. Stop ball is German! Yikes! (Comes from speaking English, German, Italian, French and some Spanish!)

Thanks for clearing that one up.

Yes the drop is certainly more prevalent. Many players play it well. I think the bigger rackets make the shot easier than in the past. Everyone seems to play forehand drop shots with the same technique as a volley, keeping the arm fairly stiff and using the upper arm. I have to say some of Nadal's drop shots in his matches in Rome were superb, as were many of Murray's. I always think Djokovic should use them more sparingly, or not at all on some days, as his feel is less reliable than Federer's, Nadal's or Murray's. I think it's a weakness of Djokovic not to realise this.

I always found forehand drop shots more difficult to execute tha backhand drop shots. I have more feel on the backhand wing than the forehand for some reason.

[klacr]

Sorry, I meant drop shot. Stop ball is German! Yikes! (Comes from speaking English, German, Italian, French and some Spanish!)

Halt ball?


Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton