Why Novak Djokovic cannot be beaten on indoor hard courts
Impressive winning streak
Novak Djokovic achieved a three-peat at the ATP World Tour finals this Sunday, becoming only the second man to do so after Ivan Lendl. There’s an air of invincibility when the Serb takes to an indoor court. He is on a 31 match winning streak which dates back to 2012. It is difficult to attribute a particular reason why the World No.1 has not been beaten over a period of two years. He is extremely good on other surfaces too. He enjoys outdoor hard courts, clay courts and grass, and has a pretty good record on all of them.
Djokovic was asked if he preferred the indoor hard courts. This is what he had to say: "It's hard to say. I like outdoor hard court, as well. I love playing on clay. Grass is not too bad. "But indoor has been very successful [in the] last couple of years. I don't play too many indoor events. As a matter of fact, only two: Paris and London. I give myself a lot of time to prepare for these events. I enjoy them, I really do. “
Aggressive game helps
If one takes out natural elements such as the Sun and wind out of the equation, tennis balls usually skid and bounce lower on an indoor court. The Belgrade native is a quick mover on court, plays aggressively, and is extremely good at playing out long rallies by absorbing and redirecting power towards his opponents.
The 27-year old also practiced in an empty indoor swimming pool. The Serb was asked about playing in these conditions ahead of the ATP World Tour finals in London. “I do feel very comfortable playing, returning, serving in these conditions,” he said.
Stays fit throughout the year
A lot of it comes down to being mentally and physically fit for the season-ending tournaments. "It's a challenge for me, like it is for everybody else at this time of the year, to finish the season in the best possible way. Considering how long the season is, everybody is mentally, physically and emotionally exhausted. This is where, in last couple of weeks of the year, you have to find your last drop of strength and motivation to finish off the year in style. So that's basically where I find the motivation mentally,” Djokovic said.
Understands conditions well
The World No.1 anticipates bounce on the surface better than other players on the tour. "Playing indoors is different, it's better for the returner. It's better for the server too, but I feel it's better for the returner because the ball more or less bounces the same every time, so you can anticipate better."