Go to header Skip to main content Go to footer
Tennis technique
tennis cote d'azur adult training course service

Tennis smash technique

Every player needs a good smash to feel absolutely confident at the net. The smash is a simplified version of the serve, with some extra footwork. A smash you can rely on is essential; a weak shot can jeopardise all your volleys. No matter how effective your volleys are, you can’t play at the net if you don’t have a good smash. You can use it as an offensive and consistent weapon every time a ball comes within striking distance. Improve your smash thanks to tennis study at the Mouratoglou Academy.

The Technique

stage tennis adulte femme

The grip: We can use the continental grip for beginners, and the semi-closed backhand grip we use for the serve.

Pivot: As soon as you detect the lob, immediately step back with your right foot and turn your whole body to the side in relation to the net. As you turn, raise your arms into a modified service position and bring the racket head back up. Raise your free arm towards the sky as if you were going to catch the ball. Depending on your skill level, your right hand has two options:
 

  • Beginners and players learning the basics in class should raise their elbow and let their racket head drop into a backscratcher position as soon as they pivot.
  • More experienced players can lift their right hand from the backstroke position just before the shot. The movement becomes a loop from the backstroke position

which naturally accelerates the racket head.
As soon as you’ve pivoted, start sliding backwards (diagonally backwards if necessary). It’s better to go back too far and make a final adjustment than the other way round.
 

Striking and follow-through

Raise your arm, strike and follow through as you would with the serve. Keep your eyes, chin and left arm raised for as long as possible to avoid imbalance. So, in natural balance, raise your left arm when the racquet head is behind your body and lower it when it starts to swing in the air.
 

Recovery

Quickly re-establish a good position in relation to the net and get ready for the next shot. You don’t always have to jump for a smash, and it’s even better to keep both feet on the ground. Also, let the ball bounce if it falls from a great height, or when you need time or the best view of the ball (if the sun is too strong or if you’re a beginner, for example).

The three great traps of the smash

  • Don't think about smashing until you have full control of your regular shot.

    Don’t think about smashing until you have total control of your regular shot. Players mistakenly believe that a smash can only go off at 100 km/h, so they often end up hitting the ball too low, even from a few metres away. Just like a groundstroke, a smash has variable speeds. In a typical match, it’s best to smash primarily to reposition yourself rather than to score directly. Once you’ve taken the pressure off and you’re just thinking about a well-placed shot, you’ll follow the ball better.

  • Don't hit downwards, even if you're standing above the net

    Players tend to press the ball into the ground. They end up losing power rather than hitting the ball straight down for maximum natural acceleration. Use the continental or semi-closed backhand grip, this way the head of the racket will naturally be down in line with the wrist, allowing you to hit the ball facing you. Players who think about shooting downwards drop their chin before impact and can’t follow the ball. This can force their body to bend in half and can result in an uneven distribution of body weight. Remember to keep your chin up, even after the point of contact! Finally, players who strike downwards before the point of contact with the ball at its maximum extension reduce power and leverage by doing so. Stretch out and let the natural speed of the racket head do the work.

  • Finally, don't freeze when you see the lob rise.

    Immediately pivot to the side and move under the ball, as if you can’t wait to hit it. Don’t put pressure on yourself to hit the ball. Just think about getting under the target to catch it with your left hand. Once you’ve done the footwork, the shot becomes easy.

How do you make a successful smash?

All these elements will undoubtedly help you to better understand your ball exchanges and significantly increase your chances of a successful smash. However, for a really successful smash, there’s one last vital element to take into account: your body positioning. This is the element that always comes first during a tennis clinic, because poor posture can ruin a well-executed shot.

Most smashes are played close to the net, so you need to be in a posture that allows you to react immediately when the ball comes back towards you.

To do this, we advise you to get into an armed position by holding your racket in front of you, at chest height. Ideally, you should stand in profile with your shoulders at right angles to the net, as this will give you more power for the shot. If you are right-handed, your support will be concentrated on your right leg, which will always remain bent to increase the power of your smash even more. If you’re left-handed, it’s obviously your left leg.

Don’t be discouraged if you don’t manage a smash in your first match, it’s a highly technical movement that requires you to think about several things at once while concentrating on the goal. It’s by practising and trying several times that you’ll eventually become familiar with the movement and be able to hit these shots more easily.

If, despite all this advice, you’re still finding it difficult to hit this type of shot or any other technical move, don’t hesitate to sign up for a tennis course like the ones we offer. Our professional coaches will take the time to show you how to correct your posture or improve your strokes to make it easier for you to succeed with all the technical strokes you want to perform, whether it’s a smash or any other. Our clinics are open to everyone, and we also offer youth tennis clinics, organised over half a day or during the school holidays, to introduce younger players to this rewarding sport. These young people’s courses can also be multi-sport, depending on the package chosen, giving your children the chance to discover several sports and then choose the one they prefer.

Discover our courses

Where would you like to go?

France

Mouratoglou Academy, Biot, French Riviera, France

académie de tennis mouratoglou infrastructure vue aerienne drone

  • USA

  • EUROPE

  • ASIA

  • MIDDLE-EAST

Who would you like to contact?

FRANCE

Mouratoglou Academy, Biot, French Riviera, FRANCE

académie de tennis mouratoglou infrastructure vue aerienne drone

  • USA

  • EUROPE

  • ASIA

  • MIDDLE EAST