The Padel Drop Shot (Dejada): When and How to Play It

The dejada: padel's soft finish

Quick take. The dejada (from the Spanish dejar, "to leave") is a soft shot, usually hit with slice, that just clears the net and dies before the other pair can reach it. Play it from the net when both opponents are deep, prepare exactly as for a normal volley, take the pace off at contact, aim cross-court, and walk forward straight after.

In padel the pair at the net usually controls the point. Most of the time you win from there with patience: firm volleys, a bandeja when they lob you, and waiting for the right ball. But a pair pushed back against the glass is also a long way from the net, and a soft ball that lands just over it can win the point outright, or drag them forward out of position.

Dejada or chiquita?

The two soft shots are easy to mix up, because both are slow balls that stay low over the net. The difference is where everyone is standing.

	Dejada (drop shot)	Chiquita
Who plays it	The pair at the net	The pair at the back or mid-court
Where the opponents are	Deep, near the back glass	At the net
What it does	Lands short and dies before they reach it	Lands at their feet so they must volley up
The goal	Win the point, or pull them out of position	Win back the net

So the chiquita is a defensive way back to the net, and the dejada is an attacking finish once you have it.

When to play it

• You are at the net or mid-court. The shorter the distance the ball travels, the easier it is to keep it soft and low.
• Both opponents are deep. For example straight after you have pushed them back, or after they have had to chase a lob into the corner.
• They are expecting a deep ball. After a run of firm volleys, bandejas or lobs, a soft ball catches them leaning back.
• The court is slow or damp. The ball bounces less, so a drop dies faster. Worth remembering on outdoor courts after a Bangkok downpour.
• One opponent is slower. Aim the dejada at the player less likely to sprint in for it.

When not to play it

• When they are at the net. A soft ball to a player already at the net is a free volley for them.
• From the back of the court. From deep the ball has too far to travel; it sits up or falls short. A lob or a chiquita is the right ball from there.
• Too often. It works because it is a surprise. Use it sparingly, and only when it fits the moment.

How to hit it, step by step

1. Continental grip. The same grip as for the volley; it makes slicing the ball easy.
2. Prepare like a normal volley. Same position, same racket height, same shoulder turn. Disguise is the whole shot: if your preparation looks different, they will read it early. When they lob you to medium height, you can also set up as for a bandeja and drop it short instead.
3. Soft hands. Loosen your grip a little and absorb the ball's pace rather than hitting through it.
4. Slice under the ball. Open the racket face slightly and brush under the ball for backspin, which slows it down and keeps the bounce low.
5. Contact a fraction later and bend the front knee. Letting the ball come a little closer and relaxing your front knee takes even more pace off.
6. Short finish. Very little follow-through. The ball should barely clear the net.
7. Move forward. Step in straight after, ready to volley whatever comes back.

The check. A good dejada bounces lower than the height of the net tape (0.88 m in the middle of the net). If it bounces higher, it is too firm, and it will sit up for them.

Where to aim

• Cross-court. The diagonal is the longest line on the court, so you have more room to play with and less risk of netting it or leaving it short.
• Close to a side wall. A drop near the side glass, just over the net, gives the other pair the furthest run and the least room to play it back.
• Away from the faster player. If one opponent is quicker off the mark, send it to the other one.

After the dejada

The drop is not always a winner. A fast opponent may reach it and flick it back, often with a lob over you or a quick ball down the line. So both of you should step forward after a drop, and your partner should be ready to cover the lob. Good pairs agree on this in advance; our post on partner communication has the calls that help.

If you are the pair at the back and keep getting dropped, it is a sign you are staying too deep after your own lobs. Move forward as soon as your lob is safely over them, so the dejada has less space to land in.

Common mistakes

• No disguise: a big change in your preparation tells them what is coming.
• Too much power: the ball lands deep or bounces high, and they attack it.
• Playing it from too far back: from the back glass it almost never works.
• Overusing it: once they expect it, they will stand closer.

Drills to practise it

• Towel target. Lay a towel on the other side, just behind the net. From the net, play ten drops and aim for at least seven on the towel.
• Read me. Your partner feeds; you alternate firm volleys and drops with the same preparation. They call out "drop" when they can read it early. The fewer calls, the better your disguise.
• Drop and volley. Play a drop, move in, and finish with a volley on the next ball. Aim for ten good rallies in a row.
• Deep, deep, deep, drop. In a two-on-two game, play three deep balls in a row to push the other pair back, then the drop when they expect a fourth.

A coach can run these with you in a group class, and you can try the dejada in a real game at an Americano on the tournaments page, or book a court through the court guide.

Looking for partners to practise with? Join the Bangkok Padel Community on Facebook.

Sources

• Cuándo, cómo y dónde hacer una dejada (Padel Addict)
• Dejada (drop shot) in padel: meaning and technique (AP Club)
• The drop shot (dejada) in padel (Padel Backup)
• Beginner's guide to padel shots (HEAD)
• Padel terminology (Padel Warehouse)