Dink Options on the Middle Drop

The typical return hit after a drop shot is a dink because a good drop shot will require the ball to be hit upward. But we have seen in the last several posts that more aggressive volleys can be hit from the odd and even court positions. The same is true of a middle drop shot. Deb Harrison has a video describing a high-risk option of hitting to the sideline in a video called Middle Ball Options. The intent of this shot is to attack a player charging toward the net by hitting the ball outside his comfort zone.

With the forehand shot, the paddle is cupped around the ball and rolled toward the sideline while keeping the ball low.

A short angled shot will be difficult for a charging player to cover.

A similar motion is used with the backhand shot. The paddle is wrapped around the ball as it is directed toward the sideline.

While a high-risk shot, this return adds another element of unpredictability for opponents to consider.