at what level are smashes quite reliable?

[grizzly4life]

i've wanted to ask this for awhile... but wasn't sure i could articulate it properly.

but wondering what level do players start to have quite reliable overheads? i.e. where it isn't fairly decent tactic to throw up a moderately deep lob??

i play 4.0, although i wonder if i'm over-rated by california/florida/etc. standards.. but at the 4.0 level, it seems like throwing up a lob works pretty well i.e. wondering if it's highly worthwhile to be the aggressor in the point if you can't put it away.

thanks in advance!!!

[35ft6]

Depends on how much you practice it. Guys I play with, serves and overheads are probably the least practiced shots in their arsenal.

[grizzly4life]

Depends on how much you practice it. Guys I play with, serves and overheads are probably the least practiced shots in their arsenal.

sort of what i was thinking to a certain degree (don't agree on the serve as much)... alot of 4.0's have good serve and especially forehand. and then some have good backhands too... almost none have good volleys and/or overheads.

basically what impresses me most about the pro's (just came from reading that thread) is that once they gain a reasonable advantage on their opponent, the point is basically over a large percentage of the time. they close points very well, whereas 4.0 is just disastrous.... i know there are infinite other differences but that's the one that sticks out most to me.

[grizzly4life]

also, i hate the expression "pusher" but i do think that crafty "retrievers" do really well at 4.0 (even 4.5 for that matter... although i'm thinking my club's ratings are too high... so feel free to consider those comments as the lower end of 4.0 and 4.5)

[CAM178]

It can be any level. For lower levels, it is called a 'favorite', as they will enjoy hitting it. At mid levels, it will be a strength if it is a shot that is practiced quite a bit. At the top levels, it is just a given that it's in the arsenal. For instance, when I was fist starting out, my serve was my weapon. As a kid, I loved throwing in bombs.

[Koaske]

I'm not totally sure about my own level and my friends' level, but I'm assuming it would be close to 4.0. We don't usually miss overheads, but I personally have trouble smashing with power if the lob is somewhat deep.

But in the end it depends on the quality of your lob. Last summer I was watching this clay tournament final (level was maybe high 4.0 / low 4.5) where the other player had quite a lot of success with drop shots and lobs. But when the lob landed short, the other player would take the point 95% of the time.

A 4.5 should be able to kill the ball with a smash if the lob isn't very good.

[kevhen]

It depends but generally 4.5s put away most overheads but do miss a few. 4.0s can put away overheads but miss a number as well. I am 4.5 now and feel the overhead is one of my strengths. When I focused on getting to 4.5 I stopped hitting so many lobs even through it was effective against 4.0s but I had found it not so effective to lob against 4.5s who move better and have better timing on their overheads. But there are some 4.5s who do miss their share of overheads. These are usually the 4.5s who rely on speed and groundstrokes to win and not the serve, volley, or overhead. Lure those 4.5 baseliners in and lob them and you will still do ok. But most 4.5s will finish any moderate lob.

[LuckyR]

i've wanted to ask this for awhile... but wasn't sure i could articulate it properly.

but wondering what level do players start to have quite reliable overheads? i.e. where it isn't fairly decent tactic to throw up a moderately deep lob??

i play 4.0, although i wonder if i'm over-rated by california/florida/etc. standards.. but at the 4.0 level, it seems like throwing up a lob works pretty well i.e. wondering if it's highly worthwhile to be the aggressor in the point if you can't put it away.

thanks in advance!!!

I guess I would look at the question a little differently. Around here, at 4.0 poor lobs will be routinely punished, but a great lob will not be smashed by a Pro at 7.0

In other words, how good are the lobs? Most 4.0s singles players I know don't lob extremely well, so the majority of their lobs are defensive and are quite variable as a tactic, definitely not as well practiced as their passing shots. Doubles players are a different matter entirely...

[WBF]

4.5's should miss very few, 5.0's and up really shouldn't miss any.

At lower levels, I would say it's more of an individual difference. As CAM pointed out, some people might have more experience or might simply be better at that particular shot.

Keep in mind that the NTRP is a rough guideline, and is not meant to give you specifics on a players game.

[RestockingTues]

Depends on how much you practice it. Guys I play with, serves and overheads are probably the least practiced shots in their arsenal.

Same here. The varsity 4 singles player at my school last year didn't even have a smash. Or at least we never saw it. And he's a 4.0 at best.

I improved a crap load over the summer though. I can chase down lobs, spike balls over the fence on the short ones and i wouldn't rate myself higher then a 4.0, so i guess it just depends on who you're playing.

[CAM178]

Same here. The varsity 4 singles player at my school last year didn't even have a smash. Or at least we never saw it. And he's a 4.0 at best.
I improved a crap load over the summer though. I can chase down lobs, spike balls over the fence on the short ones and i wouldn't rate myself higher then a 4.0, so i guess it just depends on who you're playing.
I think this thread was more in reference to standard overheads, i.e. not sitters 2 feet from the net. To me, a standard overhead is one where you have to work a bit to hit it, but not too hard. And it should be caught in the air, not allowed to bounce. Takes more skill to catch it in the air. Well, for most it does. :)