Deb's Drop Block

The post Deaden the Volley included an article from Prem Carnot about taking pace off of a hard-hit ball when volleying. This post will use a video from Deb Harrison called Block Drop When You Don't Get to Net to illustrate her version of the shot.

The first point that Deb makes is that preparation is key. As you advance toward the net, you must split step to get into the ready position.

Deb's technique for hitting the ball differs from Prem's though. While Prem deadens the pace with a loose grip and paddle retraction, Deb advocates opening the paddle face and punching forward with the leading edge. Her method slows the pace by elevating the ball and adding spin. Watching her video shows she does relax her grip, though, as the paddle "gives" when it meets the ball.

Deb has another video called Earning the Net that shows the entire sequence of shots from the third shot drop to the block drop, as well as shots in between.

The only additional point of note that she makes in this video is that you should not try to win the point on an elevated ball from mid-court. Instead, continue to slow the pace with drop shots or block volleys.