Improve your game: Master the overhead

The most challenging but perhaps least practiced shot in tennis is the overhead.  Though it’s called an “overhead,” you want to get your body positioned behind the ball for a successful shot. 

To prepare for the shot, reach up with your non racket hand to catch or block the ball.  Repeating this exercisewill help you work on improving your positioning and footwork which will in turn result in a better overhead: 

Block the ball above your head, slightly in front of your body, with the palm of your non-racquet hand. After several successful repetitions, progress to catching the ball with your fingers facing up.

Getting positioned to catch the ball will enable you to hit in front of your head instead of over your head to put away that lob and end the point.

Ben Zaiser is a head tennis professional at the USTA National Campus at Lake Nona in Orlando, Fla.