Footwork after straight drop

[ktsuda]

What is the correct footwork after a straight drop in singles on both forehand and backhand.
My son(age13) has a tendency of coming forward straight and sometimes gets caught when opponent plays a cross shot

While viewing videos I find the professionals all have different ways of doing it.

[OhSearsTower]

i think you should aim to run to the center of the court but rather on the side of where you played the drop

so not straight to the dropcorner but also not to the exact center


does he make splitstep? with a good splitstep he should not be trapped in the wrong direction

[ktsuda]

He does the coming to center after the lift as you said; to the side of the center line depending on whether it is a cross or straight lift

For cross drops he runs.

Straight drops go quickly.On the back hand side its the scissor jump and then one step to the center. Is this second step the split step?

On the forehand side its the jump out foot work. and a jump in towards the center with left foot forward How do you split here? It s difficult to get to the other corners from this position



f

[Borbor]

Having trouble understandint post 3. Just cant picture what is being described

[ktsuda]

THIS is regarding drop-shots from rear court(forehand side and backhand side) to the net esp. straight drop shots and how you make the foot movements

[AirStyles]

When you son drop straight, he should "walk" back to the center as soon as he hit the shot. And if the opponent cross court drop, then he'll have to do a split step and burst to the net.

Don't tell him to run back to the middle, or else he'll lose too much balance. Weak balance = very hard to burst.
Balance is the key.

A good way is to practice with him.

You clear, he drop straight, then you cross court and he chase...
Repeat till he gets it. (Or better, get him a coach)

EDIT:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bntGacew1Q4

Oh, look what I found ^_^

[ktsuda]

TKS Its a good point when you say he might lose his balance when he runs to the center. He usually walks back when he does a clear. I will try this for his drops during the next practice and also the drill suggested