The phrase “soft hands” in tennis doesn’t have anything to do with how smooth or rough your hands are. Having “soft hands” means having a loose grip on the racket.
When you have adrenaline pumping after a strong volley, and you want to hit a drop shot at the net, it can be hard to remember to relax your hand and loosen your grip. When you have a tight grip, there’s nothing to help slow the ball down when it hits your racket. It’s really a mental thing. Try to relax and loosen your grip. With a loose grip, you’ll have confidence and be able to execute this shot.