The Backhand Overhead

By Geoff Williams

The backhand overhead is generally thought to be the most difficult shot in tennis. But, like any other shot, mastering it is only a matter of the right technique.

I believe the backhand overhead should be an aggressive shot hit for winners in exactly the same way as the regular overhead. The key to learning to do this is the right contact point.

The problem most players have on the backhand overhead is late contact. They hit the shot at the edge of their dominant shoulder. This forces them to abbreviate the swing and robs the shot of power.

I believe the contact point should be much further in front. The ideal contact point is not at the edge of the body, but about a shoulder width in front of the edge of the body. This allows you to swing with much more force.

Think of your forehand or your regular overhead. Where you hit these shots in relation to your shoulders? In both cases, the contact is about even with your non dominant shoulder.

You point to the ball with your left hand and swing to the spot where you are pointing. If you were to hit the regular overhead as late as most people hit their backhand overhead, you would be making contact even with your back right shoulder!

You would be forced to abbreviate the swing, and hit mostly angled shots with little to no power. Instead of a potential clean winner, the overhead would become a touch shot, the way most backhand overheads are hit today.

In my own experience I am able to routinely put the backhand overhead away. Not to brag excessively, but I have bounced a backhand overhead over the back fence in a tournament match on more than one occasion. In addition to winning you a point, that has a psychological effect on your opponent.

Whether you play with one hand or two, I believe that all players should develop the one handed backhand overhead. Do you see anybody hitting their regular overhead with two hands?

No. And why is that? The range of motion would be limited trying to hit a ball above your head with two hands. The second hand on the racket would make a full follow through impossible.

So let's go over the steps to develop this misunderstood and under utilized shot into a weapon.

THE FIRST STEP: READ

Want I want to show you is how to put this ball away. Doing this makes an immediate read of the ball imperative. It's almost a math equation: the speed of the read plus the speed of your reaction is equal to the quality of your shot.

So the first step is to read your opponent's lob and realize it is going to your backhand side. We are all taught to lob to the backhand side if possible. How many times have you hit a volley at the net, only to see the lob headed over you on that side?

Your opponent is asking you a question. Can you hurt me if I hit my lobs to your backhand side? Answer in the affirmative with your backhand overhead! To do this you need to have a sense of great urgency and focus.

THE SECOND STEP: REACTION

The second step is the pattern of your movement. You need to have the right footwork to prepare correctly and execute. Here is the sequence.

From the ready position, your right leg crosses over to the front of your body or your left side and makes a heavy plant step. It then immediately pushes off driving your body backwards. This starts the movement, but it also gets your hips closed off and parallel to the doubles alley sidelines.

This hip turn is critical because it creates a good body coil from the very start. This is a prerequisite for accelerating the racket on the proper swing path to the right contact point. From this point you can backpedal with one or more side steps backwards.

If there is time, you then make a hard rear plant with your back, left leg. You now step into the shot with your right leg (again assuming you have time and space) and rotate your weight into the shot.

THE THIRD STEP: RACKET PREPARATION

The third component is racket preparation. This starts with the body, but the key is the full racket drop, a drop not dissimilar to the serve or to the regular overhead. It's just that it's on the other side of your body.

Make sure your shoulders and hips are turned fully sideways to the net. Meanwhile, you move your arm upward and backward from the shoulder, with the elbow bent. Your left hand holds the stick loosely, thumb at the throat.

At the completion of the preparation, the butt of the stick is pointing upwards at the sky. The tip of the racket falls until it points on an angle downward at the court.

Your right elbow points upward at the sky as well. This arm position is what allows you to create fierce racket acceleration.

THE FOURTH STEP: THE SHOT

The shot is generated from the rotation of both the hitting arm and body. The entire hitting arm and racket rotate forward and upward from the shoulder joint. At the same time, the hips and shoulders are rotating forward and around. The result is that the racket moves with great acceleration toward the contact point.

The contact is actually somewhat lower than on a regular overhead. But the key is that it is a full shoulder width in front of your right shoulder. This is the pay off for the immediate reaction and correct technical preparation.

After the contact the racket continues and follows through all the way across the body. The follow through is viciously fast, with a full weight transfer from the rear plant foot to the front step foot.

The result is fluid natural power. When you develop the feel for this contact point, you develop confidence that you can hit the ball away.

The basic principles of the backhand overhead are the same as any other aggressive stroke. No coil, no power. No weight transfer, no power. Wrong contact point, no power, no control. As with any shot, slight differences in the angle of the racket at the contact point will determine the direction of the shot trajectory.

You may have never considered developing this shot. You may have been told it is too difficult. But no shot is too difficult with the right technique. Read, react, prepare. Plant, accelerate, make the right contact point. Work to master these elements and your backhand overhead will yield devastating results.