The first step to becoming a confident net player is making sure the opponent cannot beat you with the easiest shot in their arsenal, the lob. If you are one of those players that panics every time you see a lob coming at you, you are in the right section.
With a little practice, you will start seeing lobs as what they are... a perfect opportunity to win the point.
Overhead – Let Very High Lobs Bounce
As a general rule, you should never let a lob bounce. It is always a lot more effective to fight to hit the ball in the air. However, there is one situation when letting the lob bounce is probably the correct decision and that is when th...
Improve your Overhead with a Strong First Move to the Ball
Getting under the ball in balance and ready to swing is half the battle when hitting overheads. Many players get in trouble because they move too slowly and do not reach the ideal hitting position in time. To get access to the...
Make Sure you Can Hit the Overhead Flat and in all Directions
As players change to the Continental Grip it will be much easier for them to hit the ball cross court with a bit of side spin. The next obstacle is to hit the ball flat and to the opposite corner. To get access to the videos a...
Learning to Use the Correct Grip on the Overhead
In order to truly hit a good overhead it is essential that you use the right grip. The ideal grip is going to be the continental grip. In this video you will find an explanation and a drill to help you understand and practice hitting the...
The Correct Swing to Generate Pace on the Overhead
An overhead should be powerful. It is a great opportunity to finish the point. In order to generate power it is important that you take a full swing and that you start with the racquet away from your head, letting it fall and swinging i...
Line up Quickly Behind the Flight of the Ball when Hitting an Overhead after the Bounce
A common mistake when hitting an overhead after the bounce is to back up first and then try to adjust laterally to the ball. It is much easier and effective to line up right away behind the ball and then adjust forwards. To ...
How to Hit an Overhead after the Ball Bounces
The key to hitting a solid overhead after the bounce is to make sure you back up more than needed so that you are moving forward before you hit the overhead. Having to adjust backwards after letting the ball bounce is much harder and le...
Understanding the Scissor Kick Overhead
When forced back to hit a deep lob, the scissor-kick overhead is the best tool. The scissor-kick overhead allows players to hit an aggressive overhead moving backwards. The players jump up using their back leg at the same time as they s...
Overhead Footwork: Different Steps for Different Shots
eing under the ball is essential to hit a good overhead, and depending on the depth of the lob there are different ways to get the job done. When the players have time, they should use small shuffle steps to adjust. To get ac...
The ideal Footwork For Shorter Overheads
Getting your body to the ideal position is very important when hitting an overhead. When the players have time, they should use small, quick steps to get under the ball. Ideally, they should get their body into the ideal position early ...
Using the Non-Dominant Hand to Create the Desired Shoulder Tilt
Using the non-dominant hand correctly can greatly improve the effectiveness of your overhead. A strong non-dominant hand will serve as guide to get under the ball but also help the player tilt the shoulders to be able to explode up the ...
Using the Non-Dominant Hand to Get Under the Ball
The non-dominant hand plays a very important role on the overhead, serving to guide the player to the ideal position to swing. Use your non-dominant hand to help you get under the ball to be able to swing in balance. To get ...
Overhead – The Backhand Overhead
The general tule is to always hit a forehand overhead when you can. However, once in a while the lob will come so quickly that a forehand overhead is not possible. In those cases a player has to be prepared to hit a backhand overhead. Th...
Overhead – A Different Backswing for Different Situations
As in any other stroke in tennis, the backswing needs to match the situation. When the lob is low and fast, the backswing needs to be be short. When the lob is higher, a medium swing will do the job and finally when the lob is very high ...
Classic Overhead Front View
A basic overhead moving backwards is part of the standard skills needed to play tennis. The player has to turn and start the backswing as soon as possible and move laterally to get under the ball. The backswing is short as the racquet mo...
Overhead – Keep Track of the Ball when Chasing a Lob
Ideally, you want to avoid letting a lob bounce but sometimes a good lob will pass you. When that happens and you have to run back to chase it, make sure you keep an eye on the ball at all times. Many players turn around and start runnin...