If you are struggling to reach the pickleball, do not have much time to react, or generally out of position before striking an overhead shot, then you should strive to simply hit the pickleball back to your opponents safely between the lines on the pickleball court (think middle of the pickleball court). Do not go for crazy angles or line shots. However, if you see an opportunity to hit an overhead, where you have ample time and are in the proper position, then you may be able to add stress to your opponents by hitting the overhead with a strong angle. In this case, you generally have three options:

1. Flat Overhead – Take your paddle and strike your overhead with a flat paddle. In other words, a paddle that is parallel to the net. This will send your overhead straight in front of you and can be an effective shot if your opponents are close to the net. By hitting a strong overhead straight at your opponents, you will decrease their reaction time and, oftentimes, jam the pickleball on their bodies, which can be a difficult shot to return.

2. Crosscourt Overhead – A crosscourt overhead—an overhead that travels from your paddle side to your non-paddle side (i.e. along the natural angle of your paddle swing)—can lead to a lot of winning shots. This is because of the angle that the pickleball travels. A crosscourt overhead generally is traveling along a strong angle that makes it difficult for your opponents to track down because it is out of their reach. Hitting a crosscourt overhead is very similar to a flat overhead; however, the paddle angle varies. To hit a crosscourt overhead, turn your paddle angle towards your non-paddle side a few degrees. The more you rotate your paddle head, the more angle you will strike your overhead with.

3. Inside Out Overhead – An inside out overhead is similar to a crosscourt overhead in that a rotation of the paddle face causes the pickleball to travel at an angle, which can make it more difficult for your opponents to return your overhead. However, an inside out overhead results in an overhead that travels from your non-paddle side to your paddle side (i.e. in the opposite direction of the natural angle of your paddle swing). To hit an inside out overhead, you must rotate your paddle face toward your paddle side and strike the inside half of the pickleball. The key to the inside out overhead is not to overplay it. Rather, this shot should be used to catch your opponents off guard, as the inside out angle is less common than the crosscourt angle, which is a much more natural shot for most pickleball players. Again, like the crosscourt overhead, the more you rotate your paddle head and hit the inside part of the pickleball, the more angle you will strike your overhead with.

Whatever you determine, do not aim for the sidelines or baseline. Rather, aim for a few feet inside the sidelines or the Non-Volley Zone or Kitchen Line. This will help you avoid unnecessary unforced errors.

Key Takeaways:

1. If you have time and are in the proper position to hit your overhead, consider adding an angle to your overhead:

a. A flat overhead is an overhead that is hit straight at your opponents with your paddle parallel to the net.

b. A crosscourt overhead is an overhead that is hit along the natural angle of your paddle swing and the angle will vary based on how much your paddle angles toward your non-paddle side.

c. An inside out overhead is an overhead that is hit in the opposite direction of the natural angle of your paddle swing and the angle will vary based on how much your paddle angles toward your paddle side.

2. Play your overhead into the “smaller” court to avoid unforced errors.