Novak Djokovic’s Forehand: The Full Turn and the Backswing

So in the first two articles we looked at the unique combination of grip and court position in Djokovic’s forehand (Click Here), and the start of the preparation with the unit turn and the step combinations that initiate it (Click Here).

Now in this third article let’s took a close look at the completion of the preparation, the backswing, and the set up of the hitting arm position before the start of the forward swing. We’ll see some things are seemingly unique to Novak. We’ll also see some things that undermine some of the claims about what makes a forehand “modern.”

The Full Turn

So after the unit turn with the hips and shoulders turned about 45 degrees, what happens next? The body turn continues to turn seamlessly as a unit. But now the hands and arms start to move on their own.

They start up together with both hands on the racket. This is initiated by raising the arms from the shoulder with the elbow leading.

Then as the hands come up they start to separate. The exact timing and shape of this separation move is individual with the top players.

Some players keep both hands on the racket…