When the opponent has a good backhand, should Nadal try to hit more topspin to it?

[tennis_hack]

Sometimes Nadal faces an opponent with a good backhand, like Djokovic, who is good at taking a high backhand.

When this situation occurs, I think Nadal's job is very simple. I don't think he should try anything different, because the guy has made a living out of distilling the entire game into one shot: the crosscourt forehand. Instead, I think he should just hit even more topspin RPM's into the backhand. Sure, Djokovic may be good at hitting a ball with 5000rpm on it that bounces 6ft in the air, but will he be so good at hitting a ball with 7500rpm on it that bounces 8ft in the air? I don't think so.

Why doesn't Nadal simply employ this strategy against opponents with good backhands?

 

[Flash O'Groove]

Sometimes Nadal faces an opponent with a good backhand, like Djokovic, who is good at taking a high backhand.

When this situation occurs, I think Nadal's job is very simple. I don't think he should try anything different, because the guy has made a living out of distilling the entire game into one shot: the crosscourt forehand. Instead, I think he should just hit even more topspin RPM's into the backhand. Sure, Djokovic may be good at hitting a ball with 5000rpm on it that bounces 6ft in the air, but will he be so good at hitting a ball with 7500rpm on it that bounces 8ft in the air? I don't think so.

Why doesn't Nadal simply employ this strategy against opponents with good backhands?

No it's a bad idea. Djokovic may handle 7500rpm. A good idea could be to hit balls with 40'000rpm though. But flat 300 mph forehand could work too. It's unclear which tactic is better.

 

[jg153040]

You can but it is much harder. The best way is to find the easiest way.
But some players go strength to strength. Or even better weakness to strength.
So you have mental edge breaking his best weapons. Do whatever it works why not.

 

[tennis_hack]

You can but it is much harder. The best way is to find the easiest way.
But some players go strength to strength. Or even better weakness to strength.
So you have mental edge breaking his best weapons. Do whatever it works why not.

The strength should always be broken down, imo. You're facing the fittest player of all time? Outgrind him. You're facing the biggest forehand of all time? Give him forehands all day.

However, with Nadal, it's more a case that he can only ever really do one thing - and that is to break backhands down. All, I'm saying is that if he's finding Djokovic's backhnand hard to crack with his usual amount of topspin, why not double, even triple that topspin production, and even Djokovic's backhand will be overwhelmed.

 

[MTF07]

What makes you think that Nadal can "double" or "triple" his topspin production? You don't think he's putting the maximum topspin on his shots as it is?

In my opinion, you attack the weakness to exploit the strength. It's what people did to Federer, hit to the backhand repeatedly and then go to the forehand when the court is opened up. But just repeatedly attacking the Federer forehand? That would be insanity.

 

[kishnabe]

7500 RPM would land super short and may not even get past the net.

RPM and Pace are correlated.....when you put effort in one...the other decreases. Hence Nadal Topspin shots are slow...and can be taken advantage upon taller flat striking people.

Nadal has better chance flat the ball a little bit with enough topspin margin to make it safe...ala Federer and Djokovic. He will get the OP on the move initially.

Nadal does move the OP with his shot....but only If he gets a short ball.....he doesn't start to initiate the attack right away...just hit kicking shots while moving the OP side to side...till he gets the one he can start peppering to the OP backhand corner.