The evolution of Novak Djokovic's forehand is sometimes overlooked, says Prakash Amritraj
Novak Djokovic is controversy’s favorite child, and that was reinforced once again by his antics that led to his disqualification from the ongoing US Open. But when all is said and done, the Serb will probably go down as the greatest player in the history of the game.
There has never been any doubt about the quality of Novak Djokovic’s game, which many experts feel is currently operating at its highest level. The World No. 1 is renowned to have the most complete game on the men’s tour, and is arguably the very best when it comes to specific shots such as the return of serve and backhand.
Djokovic’s forehand, meanwhile, hasn’t been as widely celebrated; some even claimed it to be one of his less impactful shots at the start of his career. But Prakash Amritraj believes that Djokovic’s forehand is also one of his finest shots at the moment.
For the Indian, the Serb's forehand has continuously improved over the years, and has been unfairly overlooked in comparison to the other weapons in his arsenal.
“What stands out of course is Novak Djokovic’s backhand and his return of serve, everyone says perhaps he has the greatest of all time. But what sometimes goes overlooked is the evolution of his forehand,” Amritraj said.
Novak Djokovic is a bit more forceful with his forehand: Prakash Amritraj
Prakash Amritraj spoke in detail about the improvement in Novak Djokovic’s forehand during a recent interview with Tennis Channel. He further stressed on the improvement in the Serb’s mental toughness, which for him is the best in business.
When it comes to his forehand, Novak Djokovic’s semi-western grip allows him to execute the four basic shots very well - the drives, the topspin shots, the angling shots, and the volleys. Not only is his racquet-swing very compact now, but it also packs a greater punch.
But in his earlier days, this same shot had a greater backswing and longer follow-through, taking away its fluidity. Prakash Amritraj noted the newfound compactness of the shot and added that Djokovic now exerts greater force on his forehand wing.
For Amritraj, this improvement has not only helped Djokovic defend better on the run, but has also enabled him to dictate play more efficiently.
“Early in his career he was very good from three-quarter court, he was able to dictate with an inside-out forehand and inside in,” Amritraj said. “But over time he stroked his ball a little bit more to become a little bit more compact, he’s able to drive through the ball little bit more forceful with it, little bit more aggressive and he’s improved his wide forehand on the run. He’s able to play a better defence and control the court with the forehand a little bit better than he did earlier in his career."
Prakash Amritraj further believes that Novak Djokovic has shown remarkable improvement in another department - his mental strength. The Indian revealed that many players on tour thought Djokovic to be ‘softer’ during his earlier days, which is a far cry from the Serb’s present mental toughness which is unrivaled.
“Another strength that he’s really improved upon over time is between the ears,” Amritraj added. “A lot of players say maybe he was a little bit softer when he was first coming on the tour but right now it’s hard to argue that we’ve ever seen someone as mentally tough as Novak Djokovic.”