Dominating Tennis

What Alcaraz, Sinner and Świątek changed in tennis

Name what each new champion added. Date-stamp every number.

Key facts

  1. 1

    Across more than 4,600 charted men's matches since 2015 and about 35,000 drop shots, the player hitting the drop shot won 53.8% of those points.

    Jeff Sackmann, Tennis Abstract, March 2024

  2. 2

    Carlos Alcaraz won 62.1% of his drop-shot points, fifth among the 60 most-charted men, using the shot on about 5.4% of points.

    Jeff Sackmann, Tennis Abstract, March 2024

  3. 3

    Alcaraz's drop shot is worth about 6.5 points per 1,000 played, by Sackmann's estimate.

    Jeff Sackmann, Tennis Abstract, March 2024

Why it works

The Big Three era didn't end in collapse. It ended in succession. The new champions aren't hitting bigger. They're adding variety, time pressure and spin.

Alcaraz added choice. His drop shot hides inside a drive preparation, pulls a deep opponent forward, and its effect lingers into the next point. A point against him is four decisions, not one: drive, drop, net or defence. The cues to watch for are an opponent standing deep, clay, or fatigue.

Sinner added time pressure. Flat, early contact off both wings leaves the opponent no room to build, an Agassi template with more pace. Świątek added the heavy forehand to the women's game and then took it off clay.

The line to say on court

“Alcaraz added choice. Sinner took time. Świątek made the ball heavy.”

Drill: Drop-shot markers

45 min · alone
  1. Watch one Alcaraz set. Before each drop shot, try to call it from the markers: opponent deep, clay or fatigue, a drive-like preparation.
  2. Count his drop-shot attempts and the points he wins with them.
  3. Compare your count with the 5.4% of points and 62% won in the charted data.
Number to beat2 of 3 drop shots called from the markers before they were hit

More drills like this: watch like an analyst

Faults and fixes

Quoting a major count without a date
It may have changed last month.
FixSay the date with the number.
Reading the new game as bigger hitting
The additions are variety, time and spin.
FixName the mechanism each player added.
Treating the drop shot's after-effect as a law
It's a finding about one player.
FixSay "Alcaraz, in that study".

Questions players ask

How good is Alcaraz's drop shot?

In charted matches up to March 2024 he won 62.1% of his drop-shot points, against a tour rate of 53.8%, and used it on about 5.4% of points.

What makes Sinner's game different?

He takes the ball flat and early off both wings, which takes time away from the opponent. It's an Agassi template with more pace.

When should you hit a drop shot?

When your opponent is deep behind the baseline, especially on clay or when they're tired. The 62% rate is Alcaraz's, though. The tour's is about 54%.

Has Sinner won every Grand Slam?

Research to mid-2026 had Roland Garros as the one major he hadn't won, but that count was due for rechecking and may have changed. Check his current ATP profile.

What this doesn't cover

Every count here moves, so each carries a date and needs rechecking. The drop-shot numbers come from charted matches up to March 2024, and the next-point after-effect is a finding about Alcaraz alone. Świątek's spin rate isn't in this research.

Sources

  • Jeff Sackmann, "Effects and After-Effects of the Carlos Alcaraz Drop Shot", Heavy Topspin (2024)
  • ATP Tour: What shot has Carlos Alcaraz popularised?
  • ATP and WTA player profiles
  • Tennis Abstract Elo reports

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