Nadal's Development

[westcoast777]

It looks like since the footage of Rafa in Indian Wells 2011 he has changed the backswing of his forehand again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YdWUUPcXIo&feature=related

Who is behind the technical changes made in Rafa's game?

[tennis_chiro]

Could be

It looks like since the footage of Rafa in Indian Wells 2011 he has changed the backswing of his forehand again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YdWUUPcXIo&feature=related

Who is behind the technical changes made in Rafa's game?

It does look a little more like Novak's takeback. Wow, wouldn't that be something. It could only come from Rafa, himself. Imagine, trying to emulate the thing that is beating him. You may have found something there, Westcoast!

don

[westcoast777]

I don't think it stops at the forehand for Nadal...this is quite interesting.
I'm watching coverage of the Nadal - Verdasco match on tv. I slowed it down to frame by frame and without a doubt the backhand has also changed as compared to the 2008 footage of Rafa's backhand.
John, if Rafa survives and you are able to get footage of his backhand check out the angle of his racket face as it passes by his hip on the forward swing -- quite a change. I also suspect that he starts the motion out further, away from the body.

[westcoast777]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wx5evu_PPY&feature=channel_video_title

The forehand before: Indian Wells 2011, after: Cincinnati 2011

[johnyandell]

I think we have to be careful about making generalizations based on specific balls. What you say may be possible though. You need to identify video you think is different and then compare them to a wide range of previous examples to see if it's a variation or a fundamental change.

However, I do think players motions evolve and Rafa's backswing has changed since we first filmed him. The big question is whether that matters. With the huge range of pro backswings it's impossible to say one is superior to the other. They all deliver the racket to the start of the forward swing on time--or they should. But differences in lengths, shapes, angles, etc--at least within a reasonable range--I am not convinced they mean that much in relation to the importance of other factors.

[bman]

Looks the same to me.

[westcoast777]

Looks the same to me.

Pay close attention to the angle of the racket face during the backswing. The Nadal of old kept the racket on edge vertically, strings pointing to the side fence. From the forehands I've seen, the "Nadal of new" rotates the racket back, ending the backswing racket face pointing to the back fence.

[westcoast777]

I think we have to be careful about making generalizations based on specific balls. What you say may be possible though. You need to identify video you think is different and then compare them to a wide range of previous examples to see if it's a variation or a fundamental change.

However, I do think players motions evolve and Rafa's backswing has changed since we first filmed him. The big question is whether that matters. With the huge range of pro backswings it's impossible to say one is superior to the other. They all deliver the racket to the start of the forward swing on time--or they should. But differences in lengths, shapes, angles, etc--at least within a reasonable range--I am not convinced they mean that much in relation to the importance of other factors.

Very true, but I believe the perceived change in Nadal's backswing doesn't deliver the racket to an ideal place for a straight-arm forehand whereas it might work for a double-bend, like Djokovic.
Hard to say without seeing this in high-speed, but I would guess the famous Nadal wrist layback is in some way compromised or limited by the new backswing. Perhaps leading to issues in hand/arm rotation, extension, etc.
Speculation without any high-speed...but changes are being made to the Nadal game, and not just the forehand.

[johnyandell]

Yeah I think it looks the same--different from a few years ago, but the same as the current high speed footage--but if we film him again at IW maybe we can see what you are talking about. Not sure there is any problem with his hitting arm position regardless, but...

[westcoast777]

Looks like I got carried away, sorry. Thanks for checking it out, though.

[johnyandell]

We have some more footage of him from Cincy. Eventually we'll take a look at that.