drop shot

noun

1. (in tennis, badminton, etc.) a ball or shuttlecock so softly hit that it falls to the playing surface just after clearing the net.

2. (in squash, handball, etc.) a ball so softly hit that it falls suddenly to the ground just after striking the front wall.

3. shot made in a shot tower.

drop shot

noun

1. 1. tennis a softly-played return that drops abruptly after clearing the net, intended to give an opponent no chance of reaching the ball and usually achieved by imparting backspin

   2. squash a similar shot that stops abruptly after hitting the front wall of the court

2. a type of shot made by permitting molten metal to percolate through a sieve and then dropping it into a tank of water

Word History and Origins

Origin of drop shot¹

First recorded in 1630–40

Example Sentences

Even when Sinner tapped into his normally impenetrable return game, Alcaraz found more variety, mixing in feathery drop shots and flicking balls off his shoelaces.

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The dizzying mix of slices, drop shots, and wild angles, backed up by booming groundstrokes, gave Alcaraz a completeness that Sinner struggled to cope with as he racked up errors.

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"I didn't make one serve-volley, didn't use a lot of drop shots, and then you arrive to a point where you play Carlos and have to go out of the comfort zone," Sinner said.

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Siegemund previously described her own game style as annoying, and the frustration was written all over Sabalenka's face as she spent nearly three hours chasing down drop shots and slices.

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Norrie again found the early break in the third set with a stunning forehand winner down the line before pushing further ahead with a glorious drop shot to take the double break.

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