The overhead smash is the shot you hit above your head, usually near the net in reply to a lob. It looks much like a serve at contact: a sideways body, contact up and in front, a serve-like follow-through. The hard part is everything before that, because the ball comes from your opponent: you turn early, move back sideways and get behind the ball so it stays in front of you.
Turn and track
Wait at the net in your volley ready position with a Continental grip. The Continental grip helps square the racket face at contact.
same grip and stance as your volleys.
The moment you see the lob, turn sideways so your non-dominant shoulder points at the net, and get the racket up early. Don't stay square to the net.
shoulders turned, racket already up before you move.
Reach up toward the ball with your non-hitting hand to track it, and keep that hand up until your forward swing starts.
the free hand is your sight line to the ball.
Move under and behind
Decide early: if the lob is very high, let it bounce first. The bounce brings it down and makes the timing easier. Lower lobs you take in the air.
a quick call, not a late scramble.
To go back, stay sideways and move with crossover steps. Don't backpedal facing the net.
turned and travelling sideways, not walking backwards.
Finish with small adjustment steps so you end up behind the ball and it drops in front of you. It's better to go a little too far back and step forward than to let the ball get behind you.
you're moving into the ball, not reaching back for it.
Reach, strike, follow through
Swing up and hit the ball in front of your body, in line with your hitting shoulder, with your arm nearly fully extended, as on a serve. Reach up to take it high, but don't lean back or reach behind you.
contact high and in front, arm long but not stiff.
Step forward with your front foot as you swing. Keep the grip loose and squeeze only at contact; let the wrist snap and the forearm turn over (pronate) through the ball. Tensing up to kill the ball slows the racket.
relaxed arm, quick racket, weight moving forward.
Follow through like a serve: the racket comes down and across your body to the opposite side.
a full finish past your opposite thigh, not a stopped swing.
Aim to the safe side. The farther back you are, the deeper and straighter you aim. Save sharper angles for short lobs close to the net. A missed overhead costs the point, so pick safe targets over winners.
a calm, sure put-away.
Advanced: on a lob too deep to let bounce, push off your back foot and jump back (the scissor kick) to gain height and reach. Control the ball with your arm, still follow through, and aim for a safe part of the court. Learn it only once your standing overhead is solid.
a controlled jump back, not a lunge for a winner.
Feel it
Early: turned and racket up as soon as the lob goes up. Settled: your feet have put the ball in front of you, so you swing forward into it instead of leaning back. Loose: the arm stays relaxed until contact and finishes like a serve. Most missed overheads start with the feet, not the arm. Warm up your shoulder before overhead practice, build volume gradually, and stop if your shoulder hurts. The app reads your overhead mechanics and footwork, not where the ball lands.
Fix-its
- The ball gets behind you and you lean back Turn and move back earlier, go a step too far, then come forward so the ball drops in front of you.
- You backpedal facing the net Turn sideways first, then move back with crossover steps.
- Your overheads go long Often you were too close to the net and stopped moving your feet. Keep adjusting until you're behind the ball.
- Your free arm drops early Keep the non-hitting hand up until the forward swing starts. On the serve, dropping that arm early together with an early trunk turn is linked to extra shoulder load.
- You tense up to smash it hard and mistime it Loose grip until contact, aim deep and safe, and let very high lobs bounce first.
Drill
- Block, catch, hit (USTA): a partner tosses lobs. First block the ball with the palm of your non-racket hand above and slightly in front of your head until it's consistent, then catch it with fingers up, then hit it. Getting in place to catch it teaches you to hit in front of your head, not over it.
- Overhead feed (USTA): you at the net, a partner at the service line tosses high underhand feeds with a red (slow) ball. Hit soft overheads back to them.
- Lob and overhead mini-tennis (USTA): a partner at the service line lobs soft red balls and you hit soft overheads back. Count consecutive lob-overhead hits; switch roles after a few minutes.
- Volley, volley, overhead (USTA): a feeder gives you a forehand volley, a backhand volley, then a lob for an overhead. Score a point for each good shot, then switch roles.
- Film from the side at 120+ fps (slow-mo) to check an early turn, the free hand staying up, and contact in front of your hitting shoulder.
By position
At the net (doubles net player, or after you approach in singles): the overhead is usually your answer to a lob, so expect it whenever you close in. Deeper in the court: aim deeper and straighter, and let very high lobs bounce.
Sources
- USTA — Warrior Tennis Curriculum, Practice Session 5: Overhead Smash and Lob (2018)
- USTA (Ben Zaiser) — Improve your game: Master the overhead (n.d.)
- Tennis.com (Ed McGrogan) — Smash Hits (2009)
- Tennis.com — Perfect smash: Stop missing overheads long (2016)
- UGA PEDB Program — Tennis open textbook, ch. 7 Smash & Lob (CC BY 4.0)
- Kovacs & Ellenbecker — An 8-stage model for evaluating the tennis serve, Sports Health (2011)
Last checked 2026-10-26.