Attack
Overhead
An overhead smash to maintain or finish an advantage against a short lob.
Technique
Turn sideways early and point with your non-dominant hand.
Use adjustment steps rather than running backwards.
Contact high and in front, prioritising direction over force.
Common errors
Moving backwards while watching only the ball.
Hitting while falling backwards.
Seeking a line when the middle is open.
Tactics
Make the first smash deep and safe.
Attack the space between opponents or their high backhand.
Be prepared to need two or three overheads.
Progression
Contact without movement.
Adjust after a short lob.
Overhead sequences with varying depth.
Drills
Take it onto court
Turn and adjust
Get behind the ball
The feeder varies the lob. Turn first and use lateral steps before smashing.
Smash three
Maintain the advantage
Play three consecutive overheads, seeking depth, direction and a finish in that order.
Educational reference · Rubric v1
What each score means
This rubric explains what to look for in a shot; reading it is not an individual assessment. Its descriptors do not certify your level and are not PPP Performance Assessment results, which retain each assessment’s source and results separately.
Technique
Cannot yet turn early, adjust safely and contact high in front of the body; outcomes are unpredictable.
Can turn early, adjust safely and contact high in front of the body occasionally, but cannot sustain it through a series.
Can turn early, adjust safely and contact high in front of the body at moderate pace with predictable difficulty.
Can sustain the ability to turn early, adjust safely and contact high in front of the body under pressure, with variation and small adjustments.
Can consistently turn early, adjust safely and contact high in front of the body in real, competitive play.
Consistency
Cannot yet repeat deep overheads without losing balance; outcomes are unpredictable.
Can repeat deep overheads without losing balance occasionally, but cannot sustain it through a series.
Can repeat deep overheads without losing balance at moderate pace with predictable difficulty.
Can sustain the ability to repeat deep overheads without losing balance under pressure, with variation and small adjustments.
Can consistently repeat deep overheads without losing balance in real, competitive play.
Control
Cannot yet adjust power, bounce and recovery to suit the lob; outcomes are unpredictable.
Can adjust power, bounce and recovery to suit the lob occasionally, but cannot sustain it through a series.
Can adjust power, bounce and recovery to suit the lob at moderate pace with predictable difficulty.
Can sustain the ability to adjust power, bounce and recovery to suit the lob under pressure, with variation and small adjustments.
Can consistently adjust power, bounce and recovery to suit the lob in real, competitive play.
Placement
Cannot yet use depth, the middle and the weaker side rather than small line targets; outcomes are unpredictable.
Can use depth, the middle and the weaker side rather than small line targets occasionally, but cannot sustain it through a series.
Can use depth, the middle and the weaker side rather than small line targets at moderate pace with predictable difficulty.
Can sustain the ability to use depth, the middle and the weaker side rather than small line targets under pressure, with variation and small adjustments.
Can consistently use depth, the middle and the weaker side rather than small line targets in real, competitive play.
Decision-making
Cannot yet decide whether to smash, let the ball bounce or rebuild position; outcomes are unpredictable.
Can decide whether to smash, let the ball bounce or rebuild position occasionally, but cannot sustain it through a series.
Can decide whether to smash, let the ball bounce or rebuild position at moderate pace with predictable difficulty.
Can sustain the ability to decide whether to smash, let the ball bounce or rebuild position under pressure, with variation and small adjustments.
Can consistently decide whether to smash, let the ball bounce or rebuild position in real, competitive play.
Player Development
Connect this shot to your development
Connect what you learn to your match play: choose a situation, try the practice suggestions and review what you notice afterwards.