Chapter 1148 Deadly Weapon

Adjusting tactics is not easy.

Adjusting your mindset is even more difficult.

but!

Djokovic did it. From Indian Wells to Miami, there was no time to breathe. In just two weeks, he had completed the adjustment.

When he stepped onto the final stage, Djokovic was ready to face Gawain for the sixth time in just eight months:

Just like against Murray.

So, where exactly is Djokovic's tactical adjustment reflected?

Forehand.

Unexpected, but reasonable.

When people talk about Djokovic, his two-handed backhand and baseline technique are indeed unique in the world, and are like his signature weapons.

At the same time, Djokovic's forehand attack power is indeed slightly inferior, in stark contrast to Federer and Nadal who rely on their forehand to make a name for themselves. It is even inferior to Murray's forehand speed. Murray's forehand can often hit a skateboard attack, which is a huge threat.

As time went by, Djokovic's forehand was indeed always ignored.

Of course, this is indeed the case.

Djokovic's forehand is generally mediocre, neither good nor bad: in offense, it lacks a quick and powerful shot; in defense, it lacks a twisting shot that can save his life.

Therefore, in his games, we rarely see Federer's sharp attack, nor do we often see Nadal's defense that turns defeat into victory in desperate situations.

However, moderation is not mediocrity.

Djokovic's forehand ability is very balanced. He can attack and defend. He lacks sharpness but is relatively stable. His ability to withstand blows and change lines are average. Coupled with his natural ability as a "battling machine", Djokovic will not expose any special loopholes in his forehand position.

In fact, if you watch Djokovic and the other three giants carefully, you will notice that his forehand is far from being that bad.

To be precise, it has nothing to do with "bad".

In normal shots and ordinary rounds, Djokovic's forehand is often based on wrapping. No matter what kind of ball comes, he can wrap it back. Not only is the safety factor high, but the landing point and line control are also precise. He can often limit the opponent's attack and deploy a layout by wrapping the ball back.

However, in the critical hitting process, such as when you need to turn the situation around, apply pressure, break the balance, and increase the rhythm -

Djokovic's forehand has a diagonal attack line.

The average fan might say, "forehand crosscourt", are you sure? Isn't this the most basic, simple and common stroke in tennis?

For every beginner tennis student, the first hitting lesson should be the forehand crosscourt shot, which does not seem to have any technical difficulty.

So, what is so special about Djokovic's forehand crosscourt shot? Actually, it is very complicated to explain. It is a comprehensive effect. To explain it in a simple version is:

Thanks to his strong wrapping feel, Djokovic's forehand can handle any shot, wrap it perfectly, and complete the return. Whether it is using the force of the opponent or actively exerting force, his forehand can easily complete the return; moreover, his rhythm control and offensive connection are also top-notch.

At the same time, by using the diagonal line, which is the safest, most secure and most common line, you can further improve the success rate of returning the ball, making it convenient for you to add different changes, change the rhythm, change the rotation, reverse the disadvantage, break the balance, etc. This one shot can hide countless changes.

Perhaps Djokovic's forehand lacks explosive power, but the forehand diagonal shot can turn the situation around through clever use.

For example, the "violent forehand" against Del Potro.

Everyone knows that Del Potro's backhand is a weakness, including himself, so after the violent forehand attack, he often defends his backhand; and there is a high probability that the opponent will not be able to withstand Del Potro's forehand attack and will lose the point directly.

But Djokovic doesn't do that. His forehand is fully capable of withstanding the attack, and then he uses the force of the forehand diagonal shot to push the tennis ball back.

For example, against Federer's smooth forehand attack.

Federer's forehand attack methods are varied, with speed, power, and rotation, so the forehand attack is often the shot that opens the game and even aims for the winning point, which is strong and sharp.

Djokovic's forehand was not only able to block, but also to push Federer's attack back by hitting the wall with his forehand diagonal shot, causing Federer's attack to backfire, and he would either lose points due to the racket slipping or his attack being blocked, and the situation was quietly reversed.

For example, the solid and stable backhand against Nadal.

Because Nadal holds the racket with his left hand, Djokovic's forehand diagonal faces Nadal's backhand.

In Djokovic's seven-game winning streak against Nadal, "pressing the forehand and hitting the backhand" was a classic tactic. He used his unparalleled backhand to withstand Nadal's forehand super topspin, and finally sneaked an attack on Nadal's backhand to create the winning point.

The key lies here. Between 2010 and 2011, Nadal's backhand did not yet have the offensive capabilities it has later, but his backhand was very stable, with superb resistance to blows, and he rarely lost the ball. This also means that it is not easy for the last shot of "pressing the forehand and hitting the backhand" to break through Nadal's backhand defense.

The latest novel is published first on Liu9shuba!

Djokovic's forehand diagonal shot has repeatedly achieved remarkable results. He is not only good at using the opponent's force to hit the opponent, but also good at seizing the offensive rhythm and compressing Nadal's backhand swing time.

Nadal's backhand requires a period of accumulation of power, that is, the space for swinging the racket. Once there is no space for swinging the racket, there will be problems with racket control and connection.

People often see Djokovic's two-handed backhand as magical, but ignore that the shot Djokovic used to score against Nadal was a forehand diagonal shot.

See, this is ability.

Perhaps, the forehand is indeed not Djokovic's strongest weapon, but through the correct tactical combination, the forehand diagonal can also break the balance.

Today, Djokovic tried to do just that.

This forehand diagonal shot seemed to be assisted by God.

Djokovic did not expect his forehand to break through Gawain's forehand and score directly. His tactics were very complicated.

First, he used his backhand to take all of Gawain's attacks, just like the bone-dissolving palm, and all the attacks were dissolved into nothingness.

Secondly, use the forehand to complete the layout, and the arrangement and combination of lines, landing points, rotation, and rhythm to form a containment, breaking the rhythm of Gawain's footsteps, that is, forcing Gawain to lose his position and win an opportunity to attack for himself.

Finally, Djokovic's winning shot was completely irregular. He did not simply press Gawain's forehand or backhand to complete the shot, but observed carefully, created a gap through his own layout, and then followed up to catch the ball, leaving Gawain unable to judge.

Especially the forehand diagonal shot, which is somewhat similar to Federer and Murray, increasing the rhythm by speeding up the racket head and completing the skateboard shot.

The balance was broken very suddenly, and the speed was increased significantly, which repeatedly put Gao Wen into embarrassing situations.

(End of this chapter)