Rafael Nadal vs. Novak Djokovic...a Tactical Discussion (to jbill)

[don_budge]

From Tactics to Technique...Forehand Nadal Style

is there a youtube video outlining Rafa's new supposed new improved technique.

For all of you Rafafafafafafafafa lovers out there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPP1R1Gumq4

There's nothing really new about his technique. Perhaps an additional twitch or tick or two...little things. Probably nothing really conscious at this point. Just Evolution Baby!

Speaking of evolution...this guy is built like a brick you-know-what house. I think that the camera added a couple of kilos to him too. Gee...tennis players didn't used to be built like RoboCops. It must be evolution. Evolution in one generation. Wow...!!! The NOW generation. New credence to the term!

What a swipe he is taking at the ball...you really have to be STRONG to pull that off. He's like the Serena Williams of men's tennis. Quite a bit stronger than the rest. Don't you think so?

[klacr]

Modern tennis is essentially a game of power and speed and much of the subtlety and finer intrinsic and artistic aspects of the game have been engineered out of it.

Amen!
Modern tennis is amazing to watch. But it does lack that delicate touch of intangibles that made the classic tennis just beautiful

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[GeoffWilliams]

The only finesse left in the game are drop shots/volleys.

[worldsbesttenniscoach]

I am halfway through looking at the Nadal Djokovic 2013 US Open final. I am counting length of points, & unforced errors according to my judgement.

My initial impression is that it is a comparatively high level match in that the rallies are much longer than the average rallies Iin pro tennis. When I get the final results, I will let you know.

However, I can't help but notice some flaws in the players' games -- especially Djok's game in this match. For instance, in 1 point, Djok hit a hard, deep forehand to Nadal's backhand. Djok should have been ready for a weak reply, but instead he remained many feet behind the baseline. Nadal predictably hit a weak 2-fisted bachand, that fell halfway between the service line & net, sitting up with soft topspin to be smacked away by a smart player.

However, Djok inexplicably was still way behind his baseline, & he was letting Nadal's shot come to him, due to his bad court positioning, to his poor anticipation, & to his huge backswing. ( A huge backswing is one way of letting the ball come to you, rather tah lashing at the ball early, thereby taking time away from the opponent.) Djok had to pathetically lunge at the ball, which by then was very low to the ground. Djokovic hit a bad topspin forehand approach that landed on Nadal's service line. Djo'sapproach sat up for Rafa, who easily put away a cross-court 2-fisted passing shot.

I notice repeated unwise court positioning by Novak, & even by Rafa. Djokovic needs to learn how to take the ball earlier, & get the ball back at Nadal faster, to rush Rafa more. Djok can do that by improcing his court positioning, his anticipation, & by tweaking his forehand technique. In addition, Djok's wild followthroughs on his backhand side lead to far too many scattered shots & mistakes.

[worldsbesttenniscoach]

The Nadal Djokovic 2013 US Open final was entertaining because the points were much longer than in most pro matches today. In most matches, a pro will make an errant shot early in the point, so most matches are fairly boring to watch.

The men's final this year displayed much more consistency than did the women's final. In the 220-point Nadal Djokovic match, to my count, 39.1% of the points were decided by unforced errors or double faults. The average (mean) length of rally was 6.37 shots (counting serve & return as shots). One rally lasted 54 shots, ten rallies were in the 20s, & 33 rallies were between 10 & 19 shots. About half the points were 4 shots or less; approximately half had 5 or more shots.

To my count, Djokovic had 59 unforced errors plus 1 double fault; corresponding figures for Nadal were 25 & 1. Whereas it appears that Novak made many unforced errors, at least in many of the points he did not throw away the point early in the rally. Whereas both finalists still can improve their tennis games, this final was relatively well played. Consistency still is an important ingredient, even in the modern game.