Novak Djokovic’s Forehand: A New Synthesis

Djokovic: the grip of Nadal, the court position of Federer. What’s the most effective weapon at the moment in pro tennis? That’s probably impossible to answer, but Novak Djokovic’s forehand is right up there. It’s a huge part of the reason for his success. It is also a fascinating stroke when you take a close look at it in our new high speed, high definition video. (Click Here to study it for yourself in the High Speed Archives.) Close analysis shows that what Djokovic does is quite different from how it might appear on television, and also different in key respects from other elite players. In some ways, his forehand is a surprising combination of elements in the forehands of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. But other elements are significantly different from the forehands of these other two great players. When you look at the high speed video, the most surprising element is probably Novak’s grip. This may be hard to believe, but his hand is actually farther under the handle than Nadal. Yes, more western than Nadal. Djokovic probably has the most extreme grip among the world’s top players. His hitting arm, torso rotation, and finishes help make Novak…