What's wrong with my smash?

SStrikerR · 09-19-2012, 06:05 PM

About two years ago, when I played doubles, my smashes were very good. I would hit normal smashes, slice smashes, even jumping ones from time to time. I even swung freely at them when I was at the baseline, and rarely missed. But since then, they've been **** poor by my standards, and I still haven't figured out why.

Two things to note: My serve has gotten a LOT better in these two years. It's gone from "Here's the ball, please kill it," to, "40-0 and you haven't even gotten the ball over the net yet" So it's weird that my smash has gotten worse.

I used to be able to hit slice smashes when the ball was next to me/slightly behind me, and now I frame them more often than not. I changed my grip when serving slightly during this time, I think it was more towards a backhand grip in the past, now it's continental. That might explain that, however it doesn't explain why my smashes just suck in general.

I miss them in the net as often as I miss them long. It could be as simple as me moving my head or mistiming the ball that makes me hit the net, and hitting the ball late that causes it to fly long...but I'd think with how much better I've gotten that wouldn't make sense. Yesterday my friend hit about 20 lobs to me. I hit 1 into the net, about 7 long, and the rest were in. I didn't place them or anything though, I just tried to hit them in the middle of the court to play it safe. I took about half of them on a bounce and still managed to hit some long.

Is it a grip issue, is it a contact point issue, do I just need more frequent practice? I've even watched instructional videos on the overhead and I can't pick out anything that I don't do myself.

LeeD · 09-19-2012, 06:08 PM

Purely lack of practice. Every hitting session, hit 20 overheads.
I find I need adjust and compensate for topspin lob overheads as well as heavy slice overheads...them hitting to me.
My part, I hit slice and flat overheads, so need to watch the ball and allow for the different strikepoint of each.

arche3 · 09-19-2012, 07:43 PM

Your probably hitting them too over your head. Hit them to the right of your body like a flat serve. 1 o'clock . Just bomb it. Very hard to miss if you approach it like a flat serve with the whole court as the box.

09-19-2012, 06:05 PM	#1
SStrikerR Hall Of Fame Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 1,668	What's wrong with my smash? About two years ago, when I played doubles, my smashes were very good. I would hit normal smashes, slice smashes, even jumping ones from time to time. I even swung freely at them when I was at the baseline, and rarely missed. But since then, they've been **** poor by my standards, and I still haven't figured out why. Two things to note: My serve has gotten a LOT better in these two years. It's gone from "Here's the ball, please kill it," to, "40-0 and you haven't even gotten the ball over the net yet" So it's weird that my smash has gotten worse. I used to be able to hit slice smashes when the ball was next to me/slightly behind me, and now I frame them more often than not. I changed my grip when serving slightly during this time, I think it was more towards a backhand grip in the past, now it's continental. That might explain that, however it doesn't explain why my smashes just suck in general. I miss them in the net as often as I miss them long. It could be as simple as me moving my head or mistiming the ball that makes me hit the net, and hitting the ball late that causes it to fly long...but I'd think with how much better I've gotten that wouldn't make sense. Yesterday my friend hit about 20 lobs to me. I hit 1 into the net, about 7 long, and the rest were in. I didn't place them or anything though, I just tried to hit them in the middle of the court to play it safe. I took about half of them on a bounce and still managed to hit some long. Is it a grip issue, is it a contact point issue, do I just need more frequent practice? I've even watched instructional videos on the overhead and I can't pick out anything that I don't do myself.

09-19-2012, 07:43 PM	#3
arche3 Hall Of Fame Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 2,672	Your probably hitting them too over your head. Hit them to the right of your body like a flat serve. 1 o'clock . Just bomb it. Very hard to miss if you approach it like a flat serve with the whole court as the box. __________________ Babolat AeroProDrive GT. (x3) Babolat VS blk gut 16/Lux 4G 16 (55/52) 350 grams, 8 points HL, 336 SW

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