What do you think are the benefits of that kind of "over the head" backswing on the forehand?
The racket face goes over the head and strings point almost to the sky.
Gonzo did it:
Osaka is doing it (but going directly into the fully laid back wrist position):
Djokovic does it in a milder version:
Gonzo's OTH preparation makes a greater use of
gravity and racket head
momentum. But it takes a bit longer to implement. He partially compensates for this by dropping the racket directly to his right side, without breaking the
coronal plane (as many WTA players would do).
Gonzo may have developed his game on clay where large loops and extreme grips are the norm. Note that FG is also situated quite a bit behind the baseline. This will also give him more time for his larger loop. This position might put you on the defensive more. Usually harder to hit angles from such a deep position.
If he were playing a deep shot closer to the BL or playing a ball at a lower (knee) level, he might very well use a smaller loop.
Naomi uses a WTA Fh which typically takes longer to implement than an ATP Fh. Less ideal for faster incoming balls or deep balls. Note also that Novak is a bit behind the BL taking about a little bit below his waist level. If he was playing up more, playing a deep ball or playing a lower ball (closer to waist level), he might be using a smaller loop as well.
