Intermediate
Third-Shot Drop
The third-shot drop is a soft shot hit from the baseline that lands in the opponent’s kitchen, giving the serving team time to advance to the net.
Because the serving team starts at a disadvantage (the return team reaches the net first), the third shot is used to neutralize the point. A well-executed drop arcs down into the kitchen so the opponents can’t attack it, buying the serving team time to move up and join the kitchen-line battle. It is one of the hardest and most important shots to learn.
Example
After the return, the serving player hits a gentle arcing drop into the kitchen and follows it to the net.
Related terms
- DinkA dink is a soft, controlled shot hit from near the kitchen line that arcs just over the net and lands in the opponent’s kitchen, forcing them to hit up.
- Kitchen (Non-Volley Zone)The kitchen is the 7-foot non-volley zone on each side of the net. You may not hit a volley (a ball out of the air) while standing in it — you must let the ball bounce first.
- ResetA reset is a soft, absorbing shot that takes pace off a hard-driven ball and drops it into the kitchen, neutralizing an attack and restoring a neutral rally.
Related guides & benchmarks
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