Djokovic Has the Greatest Forehand of All Time | Consistency More Impressive than Power

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In today's video, I explain why Novak Djokovic has the greatest forehand of all time.
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[@IntuitiveTennis]

Get Your Tennis Level Up 🫴 bit.ly/itpft1499

[@meenalimbu2553]

Bro I strongly disagree with your assessment. I am a big 3 nerd and I know for a fact djokovic forehand is too neutral and is susceptible to attack. Stan the man has exposed it in 2014 aus open and 2016 us open. I think best aggressive forehand is federer. What do you think 🤔

[@alpine3931]

Match today against De Minaur proved just how deadly the Djokovic forehand can be. Consistent accurate and powerful is a deadly combo

[@maximilianludin1028]

That tree in the back is as tremendous as Djokovic‘s forehand 😮😮😮

[@mrpog5620]

Probably the most underrated shot.

[@talesara74]

He is the best mixer of spin, speed , angle, depth depending on situation

[@prabesh8277]

Forgot the most important thing.. Placement and preciseness.. His forehand speed is nowhere near quick nit gets the job done

[@goranknezevic2283]

Novak is the best STRATEG and, AND, najinteligentniji od svih, on igra glavom.

[@bobbydoom3527]

@@goranknezevic2283 Да

[@zetristan4525]

@@goranknezevic2283 And he's the best multilingual :)

[@dg2973]

You said everything right. And when you add other things,like backhand, return...mental and physical strengh...He is the best player ever...results speaks for it self

[@SHVideografie]

He has defintely one the most consistent forehands right now. But there's no way he has a better fh than prime Nadal and Federer.

[@aleksamilosevic8792]

@@julestennisuniverse He doesnt have a better 1st or 2nd serve than Roger LOL

[@petrtamler4484]

As for consistency, mental toughness, Djokovic is undisputably best, see todays match with Sebastian Korda when he faced matchpoint against himself and you are still convinced that he would win, I think that more than best forehand he's got best backhand in the circuit, otherwise once more thank you for previous video regarding diffrent levels in tennis game which was very comprehensive

[@rt0935]

Nonsense. Djokovic was a mental dwarf up until 2010.

[@vinaye20]

Probably the best backhand in history in my view, and best returner of all time

[@sarkology]

Also I think what’s missing from this take is Novak’s depth on shots. From that aspect, Novak is the best. Spot on that Nadal leaves a lot of short balls by accident (swing path). Novak is able to get great depth on both wings without many errors and that’s just devastating.

[@spideyocd]

He paints the lines so consistently that it seems it's a video game when he's on

[@vindukur100]

not true. his depth is on bhand. not on forehand. that is a fact if u watch enough tennis

[@philipgerrans8152]

yes Nick. in the WImbledon final in 2019 he saved 2 match points in a row against Fed under incredible pressure. 1 return 1 pass.

[@danielurriola]

Yes; it is the most balanced forehand ever. It has the necesary ammount of evreything: trajectory, top spin, flatness, power. Djokovic's backhand has eclipsed his forehand due to its velocity. Tennis fans tend to measure the effectiveness of strokes by speed as main indicator, but we forget about other features that make Nole's forehand the best.

[@jonasbertilbellander]

But I coach you to slice hit vs djocko fh.

[@gabsave]

Djokovic has the most effective forehand because of his touch and feel of the ball at contact. He gives just the right amount of love and respect to each shot he plays.

[@crunchtimeeats347]

I think that Djokovic has the most consistent forehand not necessarily due to the stroke itself but due to his quickness and stability from the ground up. So back to the question that was posed of which forehand I would bet on, I’d say if it was on the run to hit a specific target, yes it would be Djokovic. However if it’s a trick or difficult shot forehand from a standstill it’ll be Federer for sure.

[@jeremyrogers1247]

The depth Djokovic gets on his groundstrokes is phenomenal, so this lends weight that he probably has the best forehand. This was evident when he beat Sebastian Korda in Adelaide today. Korda to his credit played amazingly well but as often Djokovic came from a set down and saved a championship point en route to winning the title.

[@darrenlucas7362]

It’s one of the best out there. Extremely underrated and he has more forehand variety.

[@ifeanyiikpegbu6465]

I respect your views but you're totally wrong here and by a long stretch. Federer's forehand is way more versatile than Djokovic's as he hits spin and flat. Federer and Nadal has won tons of matches with basically forehand, which I have rarely seen with Djokovic, those two have better forehands. Break it down like this: inside-out, inside-in, running crosscourt forehand, putting away short balls, forehand squash shots etc Djokovic is below Fed and Nadal in all these, and I'll add Sampras to the list too. I've rarely seen him hit an inside-out forehand winner! And in your question about who you would bet your life on to put away a short ball for a winner: its Federer by a mile.

[@ifeanyiikpegbu6465]

@@bournejason66 Federer invented the straight-elbow forehand and Nadal, Del Potro and now Alcaraz and Felix Alliasime have used the same to devastating effects. You cannot beat the innovator

[@ifeanyiikpegbu6465]

@@bournejason66 Really ridiculous for such an error to come from someone as experienced and knowledgeable as him. He really didn't think this one through

[@POK2008]

I think Novak probably has the most consistent forehand of the big 3, but it’s definitely not the most lethal. Roger’s forehand, particularly in his prime, was unreal. If I had to pick one of them to hit a winner from the middle of the court, I’m definitely going with Roger.

[@blackmarkt2250]

Thank you for this unique perspective... we are often swayed by our biases: our emotional favorite player, our visual preferences, etc... Never thought about the take that during pressure situations (the 1-2% separators between the BIG 3 & everyone else) Djokovic's forehand mechanics allow him to be very consistent with more variety. AMAZING!

[@ssenssel]

It always surprises me to hear you're a Rafa fan.. I've always picture you as a Nole fan. 🤷‍♂ PS: At the end there you cracked the code.. Nole's focus and reaction time is second to none, that allows his contact point to be ideal almost every single time. His FH technique is not particularly special, compared to Del Potro, Gonzales or Federer, I think that both his ball recognition and reaction time give his FH so much consistency. Nole became a consistency GOAT since changing his diet from 2010 till now.

[@rafini549]

I would choose prime Federer vs prime anyone else.

[@gomriria2197]

Yes federer is more graceful more agressive but not a winnning strategy against Nadal or djokovic...

[@rogerigez21]

@@gomriria2197 Federer owned Djokovic until he turned 30 lol

[@yz9269]

@@rogerigez21 As soon as Djokovic figured out his diet, Federer was roasted ever since.

[@drawdownfx4415]

@@rogerigez21 lame excuse 😴

[@plantpower3048]

@@rogerigez21 No, djokovic still beat him quite a few times. Federer prime as you call it, ended when weak era ended

[@lreush]

I disagree with being better than. Maybe nole has a more consistent forehand. But Nadal or Federer's forehand has been one of their Main weapons for becoming who their are. Can't say the same for Nole. Great videos!

[@marykistnen6837]

Djokovic often hits many forehands in a row crosscourt but most of the time each forehand is better than the one before i.e harder or closer to the line. This is what I call economical, and clever tennis.

[@sarkology]

I think that’s more shot selection. Let’s think about what would happen if he actually had the “best” FH. Would Nadal even be able to win many matches against him? Novak has a better BH, serve, return, and arguably movement than Nadal. If Nadal didn’t have a better FH I don’t think he would stand a chance against Novak. Also I don’t think anyone on tour that has played him has said Novak has the best FH. He may have the best tactics on his FH. Also I think Sampras’ FH is slept on. Arguably best ever. Running FH for sure. Hitting to Sampras FH usually meant you lost the point people avoided it at all costs

[@salatatoe6812]

I respect this video. Putting Djokovic up without putting the others down.

[@MERIDIAN2251]

If greatest equals consistency, then it probably is the greatest but is consistency what determines greatness?

[@grantdelmege2724]

The best forehand of all time for me is still Federers. Federer could do it all with his forehand, flat, topspin, angles, power and in many ways he pioneered the modern forehand for the mens game. Dont get me wrong, Novaks forehand is awesome and I agree, his forehand is the most consistent out of Feds and Rafas especially under pressure and probably everyone elses in the top 100 but that doesn't make it the best imo. Feds forehand between 2004 and 2009 in his prime was terrifying and you can throw Rafa in here as well. I wouldn't call Novaks forehand a terrifying shot like Feds and Rafas even though it is more consistent under pressure and it has improved immensely over the years. But Feds forehand for me is still the best closely followed by Rafa's. Novak has the best backhand of all time and is the best pressure and big point player ever, but his forehand isn't the best of all time.

[@miath.9171]

Wow what a match today against Korda 👌😊

[@IntuitiveTennis]

Great match. Korda top ten this year 🔥

[@leisurefarm]

Shots wise, besides his bh & return, novak doesn't have the best of shots, but close to the best of every shot (serve, fh, volleys, half volleys, drop shots, smash etc). Yet none is a weakness at all. However, when you combine that with his physical and mental abilities, he is generally unmatched as a player.

[@meenalimbu2553]

Bro I strongly disagree with your assessment. I am a big 3 nerd and I know for a fact djokovic forehand is too neutral and is susceptible to attack. Stan the man has exposed it in 2014 aus open and 2016 us open. I think best aggressive forehand is federer. What do you think

[@paulciaranmurphy]

Roger Federer's forehand is the best of all time, if you analyse all shots - Inside-in, Inside-out, Overhead, volley, drop shot. It was without doubt the most feared shot on the ATP Tour for over a decade. Everyone thought Fed's opponents were targeting his BH because they would draw the error from that wing but they were simply hitting the ball to the Ad side to keep it away from Roger's FH, very few dared to go into his FH side because they would often get burned. Novak and Nadal have wonderful Forehands but for me Roger's was unquestionably the best. I've seen Novak and Nadal's forehand break down in matches, Rafa's going wayward when he struggled to impart the topspin revs and Novak regularly into the net but Roger's has always been the most consistent - e.g. look at his inside-out FH and the angles he used to find with it, it was absurd, not only the angle but the pace too. You can see Novak has worked hard on his FH over the past few years, almost mimicking Federer's but is still short - compared to RF. Honourable mention for Del Potro here too - his FH was a major weapon. I would have the best FH's in this order 1. Roger 2. Nadal 3. Del Potro & 4. Djokovic

[@TennisSkunkworks]

I agree. Djoko's forehand did used to break down. He lost to Rafa and Fed because of his forehand. Then he fixed it. But then it broke down again last year at the French. Fed's forehand never did and never will break down. However, Djoko might still be the best player... only because Nick did not pursue a pro career.

[@thomasward8894]

Also it must be said Djokovics speed and flexibility enables him to hit such great forehands without missing... he can then with his athleticism suck up the attack of the best players and at worst return a deep rally ball or at best use the opponents force against them deflecting their pace back aggressively.... I think this is why he has a harder (even though he comes through most times )time against players that play the same as him somewhat aka roberto batista agut and Carreno busta.

[@SamSung-pn6il]

I just accept everything you say 100%. I am a critical guy myself, you seem to know things way better than anyone. Great video.

[@rogerfloyd852]

Djoko just single handedly got the old guy to end coveed restrictions for foreigners in the US with that forehand

[@EmperorsNewWardrobe]

This is a really interesting idea, and one that I had considered but not given much attention. Ultimately, I think it may boil down to whether the reliability of Djokovic’s forehand as a stronghold outweighs the opportunities created by Federer’s forehand as a weapon. True, F’s fh can breakdown and true, D’s fh can’t attack as much, but it could be that F’s fh presses the opponent into making mistakes and giving weak responses more than D’s fh consistency doesn’t give away points. Then again, it could be that at key moments like break points down, D’s fh stays reliable while F’s fh squanders. Nadal’s court-opening, opponent-exhausting forehand is another consideration…

[@Javi_C]

Very underrated for sure

[@milanvincic9668]

Very tough for me to either agree or disagree with Nick since I am a layperson when it comes to technical details. What I see (or better to say sense) is that Nole's forehand is, same as his other shots, more consistent and less mistake-prone. Djokovic plays percentage tennis. That might the reason why he has developed so much versatility on his forehand. Nick, is it possible that his technique has been heavily influenced by his game style? Is that a subconscious thing or an outcome of his decision to upgrade his technique over the years. Guys like Novak never stop evolving and learning, right?🤓

[@IntuitiveTennis]

I heard Goran say that Nole trains more now than he did in his twenties. He continues to improve.

[@Shaunsweeney-Kubach71]

I like your forehand also, it’s very clean and very pretty to watch. The prettiest forehand I have ever seen in tennis is Aaron Krickstein in his prime. I also think Jay Berger two hander is amazing to watch. I also love watching Jimmy Connors forehand and Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert strokes are as clean as it gets. You have the title of the best tennis coach on You Tube. Your the goat in my opinion. I am getting better just by watching and listening to you, I am going to play in a tournament and I am going to win my first match, I am disabled and I am going to show to other disabled people that they can play tennis and enjoy life. I have been given you shout outs on my channel. Your best video is the video about the ladies tennis, and it takes a lot of tennis balls to tell the world that you were once wrong, and I respect you for being so honest and truthful about the subject. Great video my friend.

[@IntuitiveTennis]

Thank you. Good luck in your tournament 💯🔥🙏

[@Shaunsweeney-Kubach71]

@@IntuitiveTennis Thank you my friend, I appreciate it. I have a lot of work ahead of me my friend before December. I have been playing hackers to practice patience and positioning the ball, like you teach on here. I like how you do business and I respect you because of your woman’s tennis video. It takes a lot of courage to admit when you are wrong, especially on the inner webs where the world can see you. I would like to see you make a video about club hackers, because in my opinion they are the worst type of people to play tennis against if you are trying to hit proper tennis balls. I just ordered a few Wilson profiles 2.7 90s because my strokes are very flat with just a little bit of topspin and I am adjusting my strokes as you teach, and believe it or not just slowing down my tennis toss on my swing is helping me hit so much clearer as you taught in one of your videos. I tell a story in one of my videos about how you remind me of my school mate Darren Farmer and he was a big man, 6’7 and I am 5’7 and we are still best friends 38 years later my friend. He hit tennis balls so hard he would brake the tennis ball. We were double partners and won tournaments back in the late 80s and 90s. It was really fun times. Thank you for the opportunity to learn from you.

[@MrSuperOurs]

I don't think it's fair to give Djokovic that title as he doesn't take as much risk with his forehand. Yes it's the most reliable, most consistent... but that's just his entire play style. Federer may miss a forehand here and there, but his legacy was built on that ultra aggressive and dominant forehand. You're bound to miss shots when you play this aggressive.

[@mikealbert728]

Nice video. I think Djokovic's forehand consistency is just inherent because it is less aggressive. Most players could probably be more consistent and grindy but everybody wants to try and slap 100mph winners all day except for maybe Medvedev.

[@Mr7Poz]

Exactly.

[@vladraduandrei5227]

bullshit, djokovic can be very aggresive on the fh and not miss at all..

[@omki2504]

Isn't this more about the fact that Djokovic is the best mentally? Your point is basically whose is the most reliable in specific scenarios and the most consistent. Both of which speak to Djokovic's sheer unbreaking mental fortitude

[@xavieryates9782]

I like Novak quite a bit, but at the end of the day I think that his style is better described as very consistent rather than artful. To me, Federer is the more artful of players, combining good consistency with seemingly effortless displacement and shot mechanics. Nadal's tennis mechanics are very aesthetically ugly to me, while Roger's are harmonious and pretty to look at. Novak's are plain, not aesthetically comparable (to me) to Roger's. I'm quite aware that [much of] tennis is about winning, but then there is the very human side to that that speaks of 'how' a player wins, the details, and that, to me, is more important.

[@KidInTheHallway]

Love this Nick! I would love to see more videos about you breaking down the games of pro players. Would love to hear your insight on players like Thiem, Ruud, the Big 3, Alcaraz.

[@xg3069]

I watched today’s final with your opinion on Djoko’s forehand in mind and you are so right!

[@IntuitiveTennis]

It’s unbelievably steady and precise. Not as powerful as some others but it never fails him and puts opponents in so much trouble.

[@xg3069]

@@IntuitiveTennis full disclosure I’ve pointed out the greatness of his forehand to all my tennis friends using all your reasoning!

[@salatatoe6812]

3:15 to 3:58 you went full circle there my guy

[@ashvink]

I am shocked that you have not even mentioned Delpo's FH. Delpo's FH is lethal and is quite simply the best on tour. You knew when the ball was on his FH, most often than not the point was over

[@huzcer]

you should watch the video again to see what Nikola is actually saying.

[@dankim9261]

Imo I think Nadals forehand on clay and Federer’s forehand from 04-07 are better, but since 2011 Djokovic has had the best overall forehand

[@yakzivz1104]

i completely agree about Djokovic's fh and it is highly underrated too.

[@danielbogos263]

I think this kind of subject is irrelevant and doensnt solve anything. saying who has the best forehand is pretty hard to judge. There are so many variables. And 1, that almost everyone agrees that Novak's forehand is one of the best but not the best. Where Novak excel is at reaching the ball from any angle no matter how didficult it is. In other words, his defensive style is unmatched and because of that, the opponent often loses faith and starts to crumble. Also his ability to fight and not be discouraged, not matter what s huge. His mindset and mental strenght are a rarity. All these combined with excellent skills and control of the ball makes him so good. I simply adore Nadal and Federer's forehand bacause how powerful and how accurate they are, especially Federer's in 2005-2007. But that'a an opinion so I respect everyone's opinion

[@drigans2065]

He has a very smooth forehand and what you say is interesting about the bent arm on impact giving him more latitude in dealing with last minute adjustments. However, as you said, it's not just about technique, the mental side is important too. I think his backhand is more solid and doesn't break down as much as his forehand (and his serve). I'd rather bet my house on his backhand.

[@jonasbertilbellander]

Yes bent arm has an advantage but less power

[@cesarfuentes6432]

I saw Djokovic playing Thiem at the 2016 Miami Open. Djokovic seemed to have plenty of time to execute his shots. He was most of the time perfectly balanced to execute his shots. Djokovic looked in control both mentally and physically. Thiem had around 15 break points but Djokovic saved all of them or almost all of them, I dont remember, by mostly drawing backhand errors from Thiem. Thiems forehand and serve looked more powerful and spectacular but Djokovic ended winning in straight sets.

[@naysayer1238]

14 of 15 break points saved.

[@jonasbertilbellander]

Bc Thiem is too far back on the court

[@humanentity2214]

I'm a Federer fan but for that scenario in the beginning, I put my money on Nadal

[@gregoryphillips3969]

Brilliant answer regarding the bent elbow aspect of Djokovic's forehand. You really understand tennis. l have always believed in having a slightly bent elbow at the point of impact. Just watched Djokovic beat Korda in a final. Korda played great/unbelievable and Djokovic still won. He's the best tennis player of all time. My fantasy match would be to have Bjorn Borg at his peak play Djokovic because Borg could run forever and didn't miss either. .

[@naveenbalineni235]

Even with many things remaining the same, Novak's ROS would have created massive issues to Borg. It's really frustrating not to have control even after a pounding a good First serve. I believe this is where Novak's pulling away from many other greats.

[@gregoryphillips3969]

@@naveenbalineni235 Great point but remember you have to give Borg the same equipment that Djokovic is utilizing. There used to be a show called the Superstars in the 80's l believe. Bjorn Borg won a sprint race against NFL defensive backs and running backs. Djokovic is not a better athlete than Borg but the qualities relating to consistency and fighting spirit he is displaying would probably tip the balance. The match would be competitive.

[@lulufrumusica857]

I completely disagree. If you analyze recent matches between Nadal and Djokovic, not just one match in Rome in 2011, you will notice that Nadal wins most of his points on Djokovic's forehand, rarely on his backhand, especially when he surprises him with a long the line forehand. Djokovic's forehand technique has always been one of his weaknesses throughout his entire career. When he was younger that was the way Federer and some other players would beat him. Federer would stretch him on the forehand to get a short ball or a predictable reply from Djokovic, followed by an easy put away. I agree that Djokovic did manage to improve his forehand considerably in the past 5-10 years, especially when he has to come up with a short cross forehand from an uncomfortable position, but it's far from being his best shot! His movement is "his best shot", and that helps him a lot with the other strokes. Forehand had been and will always be his weakness. It's not so obvious because he compensates with his movement. He can get to balls on his forehand more easily than Federer, so he doesn't have to play a difficult shot on his forehand. Federer was more explosive with his movement but he could not reach as many balls so easily like Djokovic. He would make a few explosive steps to his right, then stretch. Djokovic gets there, with time to spare, and ability to recover more easily, because he is so light on his feet. Look at his weight to height ratio, compared to Federer and Nadal! He may be more consistent on his forehand than Federer, but that is simply because he doesn't take so many risks, he plays within himself, because he is aware of his poor technique. Did you watch how precise Federer's forehand is compared to Nadal's or Djokovic's, how he hits the lines and the length of his shots? That precision comes from a flawless technique, from a perfect shape of the stroke. You cannot compare forehands only from unforced errors perspective. Many average players may not commit any error on their forehands if they get the ball in a comfortable position. You also have to take into consideration forced errors, movement, and how many winners does he hit with his forehand? If you isolate Djokovic's forehand stroke from his movement, you will realize that it's an average stroke (average for professionals). He doesn't have consistent length on his forehand and he takes too much margin of error. That indicates a poor technique. Look at a recent match between Nadal and Djokovic and count how many winners Djokovic hit with his forehand, compared to Nadal's. I'm pretty sure it's in the one digit range, and Nadal had to play more to the limit, to take more risks, because of Djokovic's movement. Even more evident between Djokovic and Federer. So, to conclude, you cannot judge a top professional player's stroke from an amateur perspective. We, amateurs, struggle more with consistency, and we think that's the only important aspect of a stroke. No, it's not. It's an important aspect, but not the only one. Winners, especially when they come in combination with the serve, matter a lot in professional tennis, the ability to finish the point quickly, and to put pressure on your opponents serve. Also length and height of the shots are crucial in professional tennis.

[@lulufrumusica857]

So, to answer your question: if I get a ball in the middle of the court, whom would I put my money on. I would say: - to hit a forehand winner from there: definitely Federer or Del Potro. - to keep it in play and make it uncomfortable for the opponent: definitely Nadal. - to absorb pace and keep it in play: Djokovic, just because of his movement, not of his technique. There are many other players that can absorb pace just as easily, if they get to the ball.

[@Projectpeace2]

Nole ist my favorite player, but no way he has a better forehand than Roger or Rafa. Close but clear!

[@raphydu7711]

Djokovic has the greatest backhand of all time, this I would agree. For forehand, I can list at least 3 players have better forehand than Djokovic: Federer , Agassi, Del potro. Djokovic forehand has more control than power, this make it less a weapon than most of the top ranking players. Does anyone remember the few years of battle between Djokovic and Murray? Also the funny match Gael monfils just simply player pusher against Djokovic? Don’t just pick a few points to judge 20years of career

[@angerisdiscipline3913]

It depends on wich part of their carreer but hey come on Middle of the court forehand vs peak fed of 04-07 its hasta la vista baby bye bye

[@xmli1715]

I had the same opinion with you for DJO. It' great analyse for the reason of him bending elbow to adjust just before hitting point. One important is DJO has almost the top of the fastest average forehand speeds and also I think the most depth in forehand.

[@ruggierojerolli]

Completely agree.

[@daviddoan68]

I pretty much agree with you. I think Djokovic's forehand is quite underrated. I used to model my forehand on Federer's forehand, and it's been great, but I started to look closely at Djokovic's forehand when he was just unbeatable. I think Djokovic's forehand is not as flashy as the others but it's just as lethal and very hard to return. I tried to copy Djokovic's forehand but it's not easy.

[@spideyocd]

I think he has the most efficient forehand of all time Absolutely minimum errors and his stance gives him the advantage of hitting it crosscourt or down the line His might not be the most powerful but it's one of the top 5 consistently It also helps that he doesn't play to Novak Djokovics sliding cross court backhand

[@Kishnabe]

If you are comparing Fedalovic at 33 years then yes. Peak for peak, DJokovic is #3 in the forehand department. I rather have Federer forehand any day of the week.

[@LL-kz1qe]

An observation Dont also underestimate grip and racket. I believe that more western grip that Djokovic have so more spin ball i to the court and smaller head size racket control swing faster etc play part of that cosistency

[@jayantsingh658]

amazing analysis loved it

[@hamadnazir2848]

very informative im very enligthened Thanks Really i never looked at his their forehands like that great Analysis Now i see why hes the most consistent

[@tr4nnel752]

I don’t understand, I believe Federer hits more winners right? Djokovic just outplays an opponent.

[@mavric4048]

Winners are not everything. The goal is to win the point, if with a winner, forced error or whatever, it does not matter. Impossible to say which forehand is better, Federer hits more winners, Djokovic forehand is more stable with less errors and with better spot hitting.

[@tr4nnel752]

​@@mavric4048 I'm referring to the scenario of which player is going to hit the winner. I can't find the data, but I'm pretty sure Federer has more winners (and unforced errors) than Djokovic. So if you bet your money on who is going to produce a winner (not hit a ball inside the court), it would make more sense to bet on Federer.

[@melissaneumann7081]

Yes he has more athleticism and plays percentage tennis with occasional big shot but the forehand stroke isn't better

[@muhammadramzy7562]

The more I play tennis the more I agree with this take

[@user-mx7om1kh8f]

That's one dangerous title for this video lmao

[@philippejourdan3679]

Federer and Nadal forehands seem better to me from far... peak Roger forehand was extremely feared from his opponents, remember what Agassi said about it ?

[@Tennerd]

I don't think even djokovic himself would agree with this... 😬

[@vighneshramesh2569]

Hell naw Federer forehand was so versatile and powerful. That was the main element of his attacking style. Djokovic counterpunches well with the forehand 😂

[@ngoduy3110]

To compare forehands, I think you should take into account Del Potro's forehand. Djokovic may have a better forehand than Nadal's, Roger's (Alcaraz is not even in the top 10 considering his inconsistency) but comparing to Delpo, his is inferior in most departments. Whenever any player attacks Delpo's forehand normally, the momentum of the rally shifts totally. Whenever they make him run to make the forehand, they get the most lethal and most consistent running forehand in history. Basically, if you play Delpo, you trade with his backhand until he is completely out of position and then hit a winner on his forehand side. Delpo's forehand is unplayable in both trading and finishing. For finishing with a forehand in the middle of the court, I'm surely betting my life on Delpo instead of Novak. Apart from the forehand, I think Novak is the GOAT in tennis for his consistent briliance as compared to the other 2.

[@quest9133]

Did this guy just say if you have a midcourt forehand, who would put your money on to make it and he would pick Novak over Rafa and Roger 😂😂😂. Novak has a very good forehand but we can all agree it is efficient at best. He has a top 5 all time greatest backhand and best returner that the world has ever seen. His forehand is not a weakness by any means but it isnt a "feared" shot like say his backhand. What makes Novak great is that the consistent depth of his rally ball, his ability to absorb and redirect pace (especially on fast surfaces) and uncanny placement using short angles. His forehand gets exposed on slower hard court surfaces, adverse weather conditons (like wind) and on clay. It is common for him to have a bad forehand day and for him to lose confidence in that shot when it isnt working.

[@jackloughridge7617]

I disagree. Djokovic forehand is reliable but so is Nadal’s. The forehand unlike the backhand needs to be more than consistent. It must do damage. The main reason djokovic struggles against Nadal on faster courts is because Nadal can hit through the court more easily. Djoko has best return and backhand ever for sure but not forehand because it isn’t enough of a weapon. I agree that his forehand is very underrated but better than fedal is too far.

[@marcomonti9823]

I disagree, I think that Nole has a great forehand, expecially when he is in good days and uses more the cross direction, and his game is obviously extremely weel balanced, but he has his backand as a driver. With his backhand he wins the majority of the cross rallies even against the monster forehand of Rafa...none can escape that trap. Nole 'til know, can play a powerful and deep tennis without mistakes for almost hours...there it is his strenght.

[@SquatLife]

Good vid. I think you make a good argument. But still feel the offense of Fed and Nadal when at their respective peaks take the FH prize over Djoker. Where I totally agree with you is his mistake free tennis. I think of Djoker as the textbook tennis player and his shot selection is remarkable. He finds to play the best high percentage ball back to his opponent but with depth, precision and aggression.

[@DeltoidBeast]

Agree fully! Djokovic was beating Federer and Nadal both by going into their forehand. In strong, high intensity exchanges Djokovic's forehand is the best. Nadal and Federer have better crushing forehand oh short balls.

[@ST-ek6lf]

How’s the fishing going? Oh so many comments . I guess it’s good.

[@chalk9352]

I am a Nadal fan but that being said i think djokovic can adjust his strikes on each surface. He adds spin where it's needed. He flats the ball if it's needed. And above all has consistency. And because he can change that he is the greatest all around player of all time.

[@18yearsoldnot]

I know there will be that patronising counter argument “it’s not about the equipment” but I think Djokovic also plays with a different racquet setup that is tighter string pattern, higher tension, more soft and flexible racket and added weight at 3 and 9 o’clock, and half an inch longer handle that allows him to hit a lot flatter. Look at that horrible flat Norrie backhand… same thing…. He plays with a soft babolat pure control frame.

[@ralki15]

I'm a Fed fan and now Djokovic fan (because Fed retired and I always enjoyed Djokovic's plays), but with all due respect Djokovic's forehand isn't really anything that special as I've seen players hit with that kind of style before. You do realize Federer's forehand is actually unique in its own because nobody hits/implement their forehand groundstroke the way Federer does.

[@TheRockyBalboa100]

I don't want to admit it but you are maybe right about this.

[@yussepig6629]

Ok you are having a laugh. Djokovic isn’t even in the top 20 of forehand’s lol. Nadal , Del Potro, Federer, Sampras are the top guys. Backhands are more Djokovic’s forte.

[@nextlvlng]

No discussion if his movement and footwork? I don't think it is the stroke as much as the movement though the stroke is obviously phenomenal.

[@jonasbertilbellander]

Agreed to big degree - djocko has big fh swing, like Rafa and Alca - needs lot of time - look at Runes fh - shorter time preparation - fed also shorter - and that's an advantage

[@dzailibu]

Wrong. He can have a long swing or he can have a short swing, so in that aspect also his forehand is the most versatile. How else would he be winning Wimbledon after Wimbledon? Someone like Stanimal, who needs huge swings from both sides, his best result there is like second or third round. Otherwise a monster player.

[@emin7540]

The problem with your argument is it only focuses on Nadal, Federer and Djokovic (Leaving out Alcaraz because he has not proven himself). First off I consider Nadal's forehand an excessive waste of energy that throws the balance of his game off making him vulnerable. A lot of times Nadal stands stunned that after all his energy on his shot his opponent wins the point, he is like a baseball player that stands there admiring the ball that he hit to the point he is easily thrown out on base. Nastase had a much better forehand than any of the three when you talk about versatility.

[@MrBjorn6]

I was at that match in Rome in 2011!

[@dalef84]

Nick I’m a big follower but the videos would be much better if, when you talk about these topics, you’d show videos of Djokovic, Federer or Nadal.

[@francoissg]

Nick, I respectfully disagree...Roger Federer has the best forehand, simply because it is more versatile and more consistent than any other players...Djokovic, on the other hand has the best backhand for the very same reasons...

[@gomriria2197]

Nik you are a Nadal fan, what do you think the career for Nadal would be if he has righty and not lefty

[@IntuitiveTennis]

Hard to say but I think it would be similar (maybe slightly less success vs Novak & Fed)

[@c0mpuipf]

objectively Nick as long as you don't come up with real data you can't really make a valid point: count the mistakes made on forehand, the average ball length, the average mistake made by players, etc; just because Fed and Rafa have an extended arm i don't think it means they're 'locked in'; i think you were saying in other videos that it doesn't matter if the arm is bent or straight to impact the quality of the forehand yet here we are saying bent is better?! I'm a Nole fan btw, hope he wins the golden slam this year.

[@Arkdark_lm]

Forhand's speed - Federer Spin - Nadal Consistency - Djokovic.

[@mrhatman675]

Shot placement:federer Angles:federer Unpredictability:federer Balance between spin and flat: definelty federer

[@Arkdark_lm]

@@mrhatman675 Federer is mega great. I like him too. I grew old watching his game.

[@nikolaaleksandrov9090]

I think the only weakness in his forehand was some time ago when he struggled a little bit with slow balls coming to his forehand, correct me if I am wrong.

[@IntuitiveTennis]

Have not seen him him struggle with slow balls since that 2016 Australian Open match vs Simon

[@salvificblood]

Djokovic's game is incredible, and overall the most versatile/well rounded, but I could never place anybody's forehand above Nadal's. Just considering where Nadal wins most of his points, from the back of a clay court, and with a more limited serve than Federer and Djokovic, there's simply no way he would be what he is if his forehand wasn't such a massive weapon. I would 100% call Rafa the greatest baseliner of all time, certainly on clay.

[@alexandarbjeletic469]

Nikola thanks for all effort that you invest and knowledge sharing on your chanel. Just quick one, when you say Djokovic has flexibility to hit versatile forehands, flatter, more spin etc.. Does that mean that for example when he is hittin flatter that he changes grip also, maybe more toward eastern forehand (since he uses semi wesrern regularly) or it still remains same grip, but swing is a bit different as you mentioned? Thanks

[@petrtamler4484]

I would wonder aswell, to me e.g. looks that Federer is changing from his eastern forehand to close semiwestern when occasionally he's topspinning, moreover playing with bent elbow is natural in semiwestern forehand, unlike eastern forehand is fine to more straighten elbow, full western they've got very bent elbow/by the way - western forehand like new gen forehand look very bizare to me and I believe that these types of forehand can't be entirely consistent/

[@talesara74]

He is using his body also for spin

[@IntuitiveTennis]

Alexander, Novak does not change his fh grip. No high level players do that. You can flatten the ball out even with a western grip.

[@alexandarbjeletic469]

@@IntuitiveTennis thanks a lot Nikola, maybe idea for some of next videos to demonstrate how to do that :) or if I missed maybe link to some of the already recorded videos. Keep up great work!

[@IntuitiveTennis]

@@alexandarbjeletic469 I talk about in the forehand chapter of this video kzbin.info/www/bejne/p17Lm5arq8x6iMk

[@smokinjoe4684]

My friends from across the country bought tickets to meet at Indian Wells. We’re first timers to a tennis tournament. Just found out joker won’t be let it :( Fucking tragic.

[@johnwoodstock1893]

That exatly what i feel. Watching Novak play and think : this is not the fastest ,not the spinest it is not the more versatile because his game didnt lead him to a lot of situation as Federer. But it seems the more concistency . Nevers frame . Nevers breakdown. As the backhand ...

[@ManagerMia]

@NICK what is novak grip on forehand sw or w?

[@IntuitiveTennis]

W

[@GhostruckerX]

You're wrong he's the best returner of all time hands down! And better backhand. Federers forehand is the best.

[@knotwilg3596]

Side remark I know this is the fashion of the day but I find it very distracting that the breaks are edited out of your explanation, making your body jump robotically. I have never understood why tubers do this.

[@IntuitiveTennis]

Thanks for the feedback. I actually hate it too, but in the context of watch time, which is the most important metric, the biggest fear is that viewers get bored and click off when the pauses between words are too long.

[@coachjr.9254]

and best backhand also