Novak slippy-sliding on hard court

[Peters]

After watching the match earlier against Hewitt, did anyone else wince every time they showed a slowmo replay of Novak planting his foot and laterally sliding to reach for shots? The way he does it, it seems like a major accident waiting to happen to his ankle.

All it would take was his foot to grip a little harder than he expected for him to go right over on it. Sure, it allows him to perhaps get to some shots a fraction earlier but at what cost?

It's the first time I'd seen him play on hardcourt in a while and I was just surprised to see the extent in which he did it these days.

 

[Clarky21]

He's been doing this for years,and if he hasn't gotten hurt by now I doubt he ever does.

 

[Pwned]

A lot of players do it now. It's actually quite easy especially on smoother hardcourts. I am sure it is a bit dangerous if/when your foot catches. It's not something you think about doing. You just kind of do it. I slide a **** ton especially on the older courts around here.

 

[Peters]

I guess without knowing much about the modern hard court court surfaces myself, it's perhaps less grippy than I'm perceiving it to be.

Must need a lot of confidence in your footwear/surface to do it the way Novak does though..

 

[kimbahpnam]

you need to use a lot of force to do it right. if you try it without enough pressure then you'll roll it

 

[Bobby Jr]

Yeah. You can't get the grip level and extension right every time - eventually something's gotta give and at some point the thing that gives will be the player.

 

[Pwned]

I guess without knowing much about the modern hard court court surfaces myself, it's perhaps less grippy than I'm perceiving it to be.

Must need a lot of confidence in your footwear/surface to do it the way Novak does though..

The AO is supposed to be like sand paper. But Djokovic and other guys like Monfils still slide quite often. When you are sprinting and stopping it just kind of happens on its own and works its way into your game. Obviously some players do it more than others. Even Federer has commented on how he has slid on hard courts, though he doesn't do it nearly as much.

 

[kaku]

I do it quite often, it gets to be more natural after you do it a lot. At first, you feel like you're going to break your ankle, but eventually the worries go away and it becomes natural. It's also much easier with older shoes.

 

[Bjorn99]

Its about landing with the heel of your foot which is extremely strong, not the toes. Guys, get specific, or someone on here is going to break an ankle otherwise. Djokovic and Monfils ALSO trick their shoes up on the heel, to amplify this effect.

 

[Bender]

Its about landing with the heel of your foot which is extremely strong, not the toes. Guys, get specific, or someone on here is going to break an ankle otherwise. Djokovic and Monfils ALSO trick their shoes up on the heel, to amplify this effect.

So that's how they do it! I always wondered how they were doing it...not that I'd follow suit, seeing how all the courts in Hong Kong are cement, but still.

 

[Chyeaah]

Its like playing rugby without studs when you run fast enough and try to step past someone you automatically slide and fall down since the grass is uneven texture but on hardcourt since its even you can slide without falling down, it just happens naturally if your sprinting to the ball.

 

[dominikk1985]

they also tape their ankles very tight.

 

[Bjorn99]

they also tape their ankles very tight.

Thank you I forgot to mention that. Taping your ankles eventually leads to all kinds of horrible injuries in your old age, but its a steroid effect to what it can do for your running, it dampens an overflex all the time, allowing you to really burst hard for the ball.

Clisters is the biggest ankle "cheat" of them all I would imagine by what she is doing. And her ankles will be such, she probably won't be able to walk for the first half hour in the morning by the time she is forty.

Great short term, as an ex pro, I can tell you, the first five minutes in the morning are NOT fun.