​Hey Reader,​

Most players walk into their third shot already knowing what they want to hit... a drop, usually, because that's the "advanced" shot everyone's chasing.

But not so fast, friends! The right third shot isn't a preference. It's decided by where the return lands.

Deep return, you're stuck behind the baseline: your first option is the lob. You're too far back to control a drop, and it'll either net or sail long. The lob just needs to clear, buy you time, and get your opponent hitting an overhead instead of a clean shot.

Mid-court return, you're stepping in on the rise: this is drop territory. You're close enough to control the touch, and taking it on the rise gives you the soft, arcing shot that lands in the kitchen and lets you advance behind it.

Short return, you're sprinting to get there at all: forget the drop. You're not in control, you're not balanced, and a drop attempt here usually nets. Drive it instead -> hard, at the player with the least time to react.

Three returns, three different answers, and the only thing that changes the math is distance.

^🎯️ Try this in your next match. Before you decide what to hit, ask one question: how far did I have to move to get here? Let the answer choose your shot & not the other way around.

This is exactly the kind of decision the Blocker-Workhorse system trains you to make automatically. Reading the situation first, picking the shot second.

​> See the full decision framework — get Dynamite Doubles​

(30-day money-back guarantee · Lifetime access · Live Q&As with Helle & Trey)

One more thing before you go today.

As a reminder, I'm occasionally including sponsors here. Companies that genuinely fit this audience. You'll always see it clearly flagged, like today.

Today's sponsor is Simple, an app built around small sustainable habits instead of extreme changes.

Same principle as today's tip: the right shot, repeated with the right read, beats trying to force a single "best" shot every time. If small, sustainable changes are on your radar off the court too, it might be worth a look.
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​^👇️ Click below for more info and a great offer!

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Go play well,
​
Trey

P.S. The hardest part of this isn't learning the three shots — it's resisting the urge to drop when you're not actually in drop range. Helle calls the drop attempt from too far back "horrendous" for a reason. Knowing when not to use your favorite shot is half the skill. It's all mapped out inside Dynamite Doubles →​
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