To improve my tennis, alongside the overhauling the serve, I also work on my overheads.
A tennis overhead is a powerful, overhead smash used to finish points against lobs, involving tracking the ball, getting sideways, bringing the racket up (like a serve), extending to hit the ball in front of you with a pronating wrist for power and spin, and following through down and across your body, focusing on keeping your head up and eyes on the ball for maximum effectiveness.
Key steps to hitting an overhead smash:
- Preparation & footwork:
- Track the ball: Use your non-hitting hand (left for righties) to point at and track the ball overhead, keeping your eye on it.
- Get sideways: Pivot your body so your shoulders, hips, and feet are turned sideways (like a serve) to get behind the ball.
- Use crossover steps: For deep lobs, use crossover steps (front foot crosses over back foot) to move back quickly and get in position.
