Nadal's technique gets criticized from Tennis Coaches

[DJTaurus]

Stop the trolling dude, anyone who is used to deal with trolls on a daily can detect you in 5 seconds...



And dont talk me about the technique of Nole.. His strokes arent that natural and he is insecure at net game and smashing..also his forehand is clearly inferior to Fedal.

Chill out mate. I am a die hard fan of nadal. I was just curious why tennis coaches when refer to nadal speak mostly of his athletic skills and when to federer about his technique. And that is totally unfair to nadal. I am playing with APD and nadal is my favorite player. End of story

As for Nole I think you are dead wrong. I agree with smashes but insecure near the net? Dude are u serious? Right now he has the most killer drop volley and can produce winners with it.

 

[tennis_commentator]

Nadal has the best backhand passing shot on tour, and the best forehand on tour.
His talent is so extreme that neither can be duplicated.
He's about 7 years past his physical prime, and his shots are still the best on tour.
All talent.

 

[MisterNO]

Lol,7 years past his prime...are you serious?

 

[tennis_commentator]

Lol,7 years past his prime...are you serious?

NO. I said physical prime, not prime.
Learn how to read so you won't waste my time again.
Nadal's physical prime was 2005-2008.
He was clearly slower after 2008.
The knee issues escalated in 2009 and he never was the same again.
Not that it mattered, as his skills improved and made up for being slower.

 

[tacou]

Most of the tennis coaches when they want to give an example of a player to watch and try to take clues from their techniques usually refer to federer, nole etc..... they respect Nadal for his passionate/warrior way of playing and his achievements but when it comes down to technique they don't think that an amateur tennis player should watch Nadal. Also many of them dislike his baseline game (they believe that it was introduced with nadal and it destroyed the beauty of the sport) and they also criticize his banana shot and that its something not to mimic....they say it is wrong to bring your elbow so far outside your body.... but if it works for Nadal then whats the problem with that....?

So in terms of technique what the experts of TWForum have to say on Nadal? Are there any areas where he is better in pure technique than the GOAT?

Personally Nadals whippy forehands, fed's drop volleys/slices and Sampras serves are the most beautifully things i have ever seen on tennis courts.

WHAT tennis coach advises their charge to play like Nole?? "Can you play 6 hours straight at a world class level? You can? OK, I've got the perfect model for you then!"

 

[MisterNO]

No. Both your opinions are equally wrong. First, there is no "physical prime" as a separate category of play, it is very easy to understand that physical deterioration leads to general deterioration of the game. In Nadal`s case, it is clear that his best season was 2010, even his 2013 was kinda similar to 2008., so you lost validity of argumentation there. Also, you are the only one (maybe few fringes too,don`t know) to say that Nadal had lost speed since 2008, his skill may be improved, but nothing can replace speed, especially for defensive clay type grinders-he still chased every ball until 2014. I didn`t noticed slowing until 2014, nor anyone relevant for that matter.
Also, if you don`t lie wasting your time, then stop posting and responding to posts that contradict yours.

 

[sureshs]

Most of the tennis coaches when they want to give an example of a player to watch and try to take clues from their techniques usually refer to federer, nole etc..... they respect Nadal for his passionate/warrior way of playing and his achievements but when it comes down to technique they don't think that an amateur tennis player should watch Nadal. Also many of them dislike his baseline game (they believe that it was introduced with nadal and it destroyed the beauty of the sport) and they also criticize his banana shot and that its something not to mimic....they say it is wrong to bring your elbow so far outside your body.... but if it works for Nadal then whats the problem with that....?

So in terms of technique what the experts of TWForum have to say on Nadal? Are there any areas where he is better in pure technique than the GOAT?

Personally Nadals whippy forehands, fed's drop volleys/slices and Sampras serves are the most beautifully things i have ever seen on tennis courts.

None of those tennis coaches have achieved a remote fraction of what Nadal has already achieved, so let us take it with a pinch of salt.

 

[Bender]

You will break your arm if you are gonna try and mimic Nadals forehand.

His game is not suited for everyone, or any atleast in my view.

For me, Nadals play is un-natural. I can get why coaches wouldn't want their students to play like that, cause as I said, it is not natural.

It's like you're presenting evidence that you haven't tried to even play the sport. Or that despite the many years you have, you have yet to learn anything about the sport, especially considering that you claim to like Federer the most out of the top players right now.

 

[tennis_commentator]

No. Both your opinions are equally wrong. First, there is no "physical prime" as a separate category of play, it is very easy to understand that physical deterioration leads to general deterioration of the game. In Nadal`s case, it is clear that his best season was 2010, even his 2013 was kinda similar to 2008., so you lost validity of argumentation there. Also, you are the only one (maybe few fringes too,don`t know) to say that Nadal had lost speed since 2008, his skill may be improved, but nothing can replace speed, especially for defensive clay type grinders-he still chased every ball until 2014. I didn`t noticed slowing until 2014, nor anyone relevant for that matter.
Also, if you don`t lie wasting your time, then stop posting and responding to posts that contradict yours.

You didn't notice a slowing until 2014? :lol:
You obviously don't follow tennis.
Nadal was lightning fast in 2005-2008, and CLEARLY slower in 2009-2015.
Its not even close.
Nadal's physical prime was 2005-2008.
And it has nothing to do with how many slams he won.
He has always been able to win slams regardless of his physical decline.

 

[snowpuppy]

Simple explanation would be Federer possessing a more classic game which a majority of the teaching community can relate to. It also helps that Federer's game is subjectively considered by large to be pretty and hence a sell point. Nadal's forehand unfortunately falls under an odd extremity much like Roddick's serve. If I was a teaching professional I'd think twice about trying to teach those techniques that are mechanically radical and I don't fully have the understanding to prevent say and injury to my charge.

 

[tennis_balla]

I don't like to use the term technique in my coaching. I use fundamentals and style.

Nadal has amazing fundamentals, and if a coach says otherwise he/she should hang up their sh*t right there and then and find another profession.
The problem is, too many people copy Nadal's style and not his fundamentals. Mainly cause thats the first thing an untrained eye noticed, so they don't know any better or no one has taught them properly what to do.

 

[VexlanderPrime]

Yes he is, he's still by far the fittest player on tour (yes, including Djokovic), and he can play whatever style he chooses - only thing lacking at the moment is confidence, but that will come naturally as he wins Madrid, Rome, and then the French Open on his way to another French/Wimbledon double.

Came across this mid-2015 gem while reading up on Rafa's FH. I think his reverse finish technique is actually underused in tennis. Others could benefit.

 

[Sirius Black]

Jesus, WTF were people on? Nadal's forehand is textbook, aside from the buggy whip finish.

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

i think that young nadal´s forehand motion, if he finished regular (no lasso finish), is a very basic and clean technique.

circular takeback, slight wrist extension and a fluid swing. definitely cleaner than young djokovic´s and murray´s forehands.

Look again, there are definitely signs of reverse finishes here -- with a bit of the lasso flavor. Perhaps a bit more elbow flexion for his FH, in general, as well.

Two years and still zero damage to my arm.

So far. Give it another decade or so. Shoulder issues sometimes take a while to manifest. Or you might have an issue with some other part of your arm. Even tho' it appears to be bulked up and bulletproof, Nadal has experienced problems with his shoulder. More than once, I believe.

http://www.central-health.com/blog/nadal-missed-paris-masters-due-to-shoulder-injury/

Jesus, WTF were people on? Nadal's forehand is textbook, aside from the buggy whip finish.

The SA technique that Rafa and Roger employ is not for everyone. Some have controls issues with it.

 

[Bartelby]

It is in the textbook, but not as a standard forehand. That's why coaches shouldn't teach it as the default style.

When will people learn that aside from Nadal's finish his forehand is textbook?

Coaches don't advise people to copy him because most rec players don't release how much Nadal actually hits through the ball; instead they attempt to swing straight up, which is, of course, incorrect.

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

I don't see why coaches would say that. Maybe they only focus on the lasso whip finish - which Nadal does not do all the time in any case.

But he does it quite a lot in competition. More so than other pros had in the past and in the current game. His prolific use of the reverse/lasso probably has other players using it more than they once did as well. According to Wilander, Nadal almost never uses the reverse finish in his practice sessions or when warming up. It happens in the heat of battle. Sometime cuz he is under greater pressure, sometimes cuz he is a bit late or, perhaps, sometimes he just wants more topspin.

Nadal's reverse FH isn't unconventional at all. He didn't invent the reverse FH.

No, but he is the most prolific user of the reverse finish. And his lasso/helicopter variation was not very common until he started using it on the tour.

 

[Sirius Black]

It is in the textbook, but not as a standard forehand. That's why coaches shouldn't teach it as the default style.

It's pretty much the same as Federer's, save for a few nuances.

 

[Sirius Black]

The SA technique that Rafa and Rger employ is not for everyone. Some have controls issues with it.

To an extent, that's also a function of your grip, and probably your individual anatomy and movement patterns. I doubt that Toni made Nadal hit with a straight arm - he probably just did it naturally

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

To an extent, that's also a function of your grip, and probably your individual anatomy and movement patterns. I doubt that Toni made Nadal hit with a straight arm - he probably just did it naturally

But then Rafa and Roger use very different grips. Roger is Eastern to strong Eastern while Rafa is SW to SW shaded toward a full W. Rafa may have intentionally copied the SA technique of Roger. Some vids of a younger Rafa show him with a bit more elbow flexion.

The FH was supposed to be Edberg's weakness. His elbow was often straight and seemed to wander a bit.

 

[citybert]

I don't see why coaches would say that. Maybe they only focus on the lasso whip finish - which Nadal does not do all the time in any case.

Alot of people does that lasso whip finish during matches, mostly without even thinking about it, even Federer

Thing is, if you watch Federer and Nadal forehands in slow motion side by side - they are about 80% the same - both straight-arm forehands.

yeah exactly and Nadal hits thru the ball just like anyone else even with the lasso finish.

Feds FH can be very complex for normal guys he has like 5 different grips for all the slot angles. But the basic mechanics are the same and solid and his kinetic chain is best in history. Extremely efficient minimal effort for maximum power