Overhead
An attacking racket stroke played by swinging above head height to strike a descending ball steeply downward into the opponent's court.
Definition
The overhead is a racket-sport stroke used to deal with a ball that has been lifted high, typically off a lob. The player reaches up and swings with a throwing-like motion, contacting the ball at full extension above the head and directing it downward. Footwork and early positioning are central, because the striker must move under the descending ball and set the hitting shoulder before swinging.
In tennis and padel it is frequently called the overhead smash when hit with full power, though controlled placement is often more reliable than raw pace. Badminton instead uses 'overhead' for the whole family of strokes played above the head, including clears, drop shots and smashes. Because the motion mirrors a serve, players commonly transfer their serving mechanics to the overhead.
Meaning by sport
This term is used differently across sports:
- Tennis
- An overhead played off a lob, struck with a serve-like motion to angle the ball down into the court; called an overhead smash when hit hard.
- Badminton
- The category of strokes hit above head height — including clears, drop shots and smashes — rather than one specific power shot.
Where you’ll hear “overhead”
Sports that use this term:
Tennis
A singles or doubles racquet sport that blends agility, strategy and stamina on court.
Padel
A sociable, doubles-first racquet sport played in an enclosed court where the walls stay in play.
POP Tennis
A friendly, easy-to-learn racquet sport on a smaller court with solid paddles and a lower net.
Badminton
A fast indoor racquet sport played with a shuttlecock that rewards agility and touch.
Volleyball
A non-contact team sport of rallies, jumps and teamwork — indoors or on the beach.
How it connects
The meaning-bearing relationships that place Overhead in the wider knowledge graph — each one with the reason it exists.
Commonly confused with
Close enough to be mixed up — the distinction is worth knowing.
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Techniques
- Badminton SmashA powerful, steeply downward overhead stroke that drives the shuttlecock sharply into the opponent's court to win the rally.
- Volleyball SpikeA powerful attacking hit that drives the ball sharply downward over the net into the opponent's court, usually after an approach and jump.
- Badminton ClearAn overhead stroke that sends the shuttlecock high and deep to the opponent's back court, resetting the rally or buying time.
- The slice in tennisThe underspin stroke that changes a rally's height and pace — how slice keeps the ball low, when it is defensive and when it is an attack, and what it does on different surfaces.
- Tennis ServeThe overhead stroke that starts every point, hit from behind the baseline into the diagonally opposite service box.
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How this page is maintained
- Content type
- Term
- Provenance
- Tier A — evergreen educational
- Verified external sources
- 0
- Content updated
- 2026-09-01
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