Carlos Alcaraz has one of, if not the best, dropshots in men’s tennis.
But does anyone else come close?
During his latest press conference at Indian Wells, Alcaraz named the three players who have the best dropshots on the ATP Tour.
Carlos Alcaraz says Novak Djokovic has one of the best dropshots in tennis
“Well, the best dropshot… I have a few in mind,” said Alcaraz.
“Obviously, [Corentin] Moutet, you know, is one of the best, or he has one of the best dropshots and one of the best touches, in general.
“But I love the [Novak] Djokovic dropshot. Djokovic’s backhand dropshot, I think, is a really good one.”
“When he does it, it’s a really nice one.
“Apart from that, a couple of them, probably, [Grigor] Dimitrov has a good one.
“Great touch, as well. It’s the first players that come to my mind.
“Probably a few of them more, but those three, I would choose those three.”
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Alcaraz named Corentin Moutet, Novak Djokovic, and Grigor Dimitrov as the three players with the best dropshots in men’s tennis.
But out of the three or four players, who has the best dropshot?
Dropshot statistics
| Player | Dropshots (from the baseline) per groundstroke | Winners (and induced forced errors) per (baseline) dropshot | Sample size |
| Carlos Alcaraz | 3% | 37.6% | 59 matches |
| Corentin Moutet | 5.3% | 21.3% | 8 matches |
| Novak Djokovic | 2.3% | 27.6% | 33 matches |
| Grigor Dimitrov | 0.7% | 33.3% | 6 matches |
Stats from tennisabstract.com indicate that Alcaraz has the best dropshot.
Winning 37.6% of his dropshots, Alcaraz has mastered the technique.
Dimitrov is next, with a 33.3% success rate, ahead of Djokovic on 27.6%.
Bottom of the pile is Moutet, who wins just 21.3% of his dropshots, despite using the tactic more than the other three players.
However, it is important to note that only a handful of Moutet and Dimitrov’s matches were recorded.
How did the sport’s best dropshotters perform at Indian Wells?
The dropshot can be highly effective, but did it power Alcaraz, Djokovic, Moutet, and Dimitrov to glory in California?
For some, yes. For others, not so much…
Carlos Alcaraz at Indian Wells
- 2026 Indian Wells 2R [WIN] vs Grigor Dimitrov, 6-2, 6-3
- 2026 Indian Wells 3R [WIN] vs Arthur Rinderknech, 6-7, 6-3, 6-2
- 2026 Indian Wells 4R [WIN] vs Casper Ruud, 6-1, 7-6
- 2026 Indian Wells QF [WIN] vs Cameron Norrie, 6-3, 6-4
- 2026 Indian Wells SF vs Daniil Medvedev
Novak Djokovic at Indian Wells
- 2026 Indian Wells 2R [WIN] vs Kamil Majchrzak, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2
- 2026 Indian Wells 3R [WIN] vs Aleksandar Kovacevic, 6-4, 1-6, 6-4
- 2026 Indian Wells 4R [LOSS] vs Jack Draper, 6-4, 4-6, 6-7
Corentin Moutet at Indian Wells
- 2026 Indian Wells 1R [LOSS] vs Aleksandar Kovacevic, 1-6, 4-6
Grigor Dimitrov at Indian Wells
- 2026 Indian Wells 1R [WIN] vs Terence Atmane, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4
- 2026 Indian Wells 2R [LOSS] vs Carlos Alcaraz, 2-6, 3-6
Alcaraz is the only player still in the competition.
Moutet lost his first-round match, Dimitrov lost in round two, and Djokovic failed to reach the quarterfinals.
The Spaniard, flying the flag for the world’s best dropshotters, will take on Russia’s Daniil Medvedev in the semis.
Only time will tell if he will emerge victorious, but you certainly won’t want to miss any of the action.
Alcaraz will play Medvedev in the Indian Wells semifinals on Saturday, March 14.
