A drive is a hard, low groundstroke, most often used as a third or fifth shot. On its own it rarely wins a point against players at the net. Its job is to force a weak block that you or your partner can then drop or attack.
Drive when the ball is above net height, when your opponent's return is short, or when you know your partner is ready to crash the net behind it.
Key cues
- 1Contact in front, weight moving forward
- 2Low over the net with topspin
- 3Aim at the opponent's paddle-side hip or the middle
- 4Follow with a drop (the drive-then-drop pattern)
Common mistakes
- Driving balls that are below net height
- Driving every third shot regardless of the situation
- Over-hitting and missing long