Novak Djokovic Court Level Practice at UCLA

00:00 Intro
00:08 Warm Up
00:45 Baseline Close Side
03:19 Baseline Far Side
05:27 Forehand Crosscourt Close Side
08:15 Backhand Crosscourt Close Side
12:00 Forehand Crosscourt Far Side
13:38 Backhand Crosscourt Far Side
16:25 Moving Crosscourt
21:50 Volley
24:32 Overhead
25:43 Opponent At Net
27:28 Serve
31:20 Return
35:39 Footwork
37:36 Outro

[@Rodrigorodriguez20241]

Just such a better camera angle than the traditional TV angle. You truly cannot appreciate the torque and speed and depth these guys put on every ball. If only the networks would show more from this angle during matches it would be great. They have the ability to do it but we typically only get a glimpse or two during a match.

[@Pdt7484]

This is why people think they’d get a game on Serena lmao

[@Rodrigorodriguez20241]

@@Pdt7484 exactly.

[@cmschmidt15]

They used this view during the Ultimate Tennis Showdown a few years back during COVID and it was so much better to watch.

[@ogpurple8712]

Honestly, anybody who watches tennis and has a tournament near them that they can watch, even a low-level one, should go. You realise how good the players are, then you remember that these people aren't even that high in rank. @@Pdt7484

[@seanyamamoto8757]

I wonder when the ATP will learn..

[@kleid4677]

Kids be skipping class to watch, I’d miss the whole semester tbh

[@bartholomewlyons]

I’d miss the semester even without Djoko

[@zufitch]

@@bartholomewlyons😂

[@walterarama]

@@Nathaniel49🧢🧢🧢

[@whogivesafack-ch3lj]

​@@walteraramaI am about to finish my bachelor's in civil engineering and I have only gone to exams and mandatory group projects. I probably go 2-3 days a month to the campus. It's possible for sure, maybe it's not optimal but I would rather be at peace at home

[@eyeofhorus1301]

what college doesn't make attendance a large part of the grade? wtf@@whogivesafack-ch3lj

[@sawgames8623]

Those kids have no idea how lucky they are to be witnessing the greatest ever at a singular craft. Only a handful of these people exist in human history and these students get front row seats to observe peak competence and artistry for free.

[@Pdt7484]

Imagine being paired with tiger woods at your local course 😅

[@zbll2406]

I would pay quite a lot to be on those benches. What an art this is, this is peak human capability right here

[@benjaminfreitag4031]

his tennis is way too boring, unattractive to be the greatest. most successful yes

[@Slanghomy]

Technically, everyone living in the area was able to go see this. I live a mile away and when I found out about this, I simply walked over to the stadium, found a seat, and watched.

[@Khaavrenbbb]

I think they know. It’s not like they’re not tennis players

[@matiaspes2012]

the technique in all Nole strikes is simply amazing, his forehand is so fluid and effortless... with this camera angles we can really appreciate how good are all this elite tennis players, all the speed and spin that they put on the ball on every hit, just an amazing video!!!

[@willkittwk]

Love to watch Novak work out session. Getting every variety of shot grooved. Notice how he hits nice and easy when he starts out. Getting the feel and timing the footwork the muscles slowly coming alive. That's something i hammer into youngsters who want to blast the ball from the get go. The tempo of his hitting gradually increases and the ball movement and redirect shots start coming in. Beautiful and a lesson of how to work out in itself.

[@guslevy3506]

When I was a student at UCLA, I’d occasionally hit on this same court…it’s surreal to watch Djokovic pounding balls on the same spot. A tad better than I did, of course…

[@e3pulse196]

Wait u can just play on it?

[@guslevy3506]

@@e3pulse196 My memory is vague now since it’s been >30yrs but I do remember students having access to all the courts on occasion…otherwise it would have been wasted space for much of the yr…

[@Matt-jq7zw]

@@e3pulse196 yeah

[@Kenzie_Hill]

Feet, knees, hips, wrists, arms shoulder, head and balance all working in perfect harmony for a great shot. Novak's speed, agility, strength, determination, court awareness and optimistic mental game makes him THE GOAT ❤

[@cityremade]

I admire him so much. So sound technically, no futile decorations, pure ✨

[@dedier8565]

Thank you for the video man!

[@jsantos18993]

Fantastic video. It’s spot on. Thanks

[@jungchang-woo3487]

Awesome clip 👍

[@seanji24]

thanks for sharing!!!!

[@kenqz2623]

That forehand is outrageous, the elbow and body movement is so good he doesn't need to put more than 50% into a shot.

[@Flstudiog-d]

This the video I’ve been waiting for

[@sandeepshahrao1985]

Need More Videos Like This Type of Court Level as well as Baseline Level Tennis❤❤❤

[@siyungjung7162]

I've played tennis there, too. Nice to see him there. UCLA is blessed.

[@peterandreadakis3851]

Novak's a jock....get over it!

[@pavanthimmavajjala615]

Just pure therapy. Watching the court level view is my fav

[@clajersongimena5626]

Good Video Jimmy!

[@jamesduffy5019]

Genius!❤

[@jumbo6498]

Always looked forward to Djokovic Tennis Day on my college campus!

[@abf9596]

Nice job and congrats on the chance to be able to shoot this. I only wish I could have seen the ball placement when he was on the far side, like you had earlier. I also wanted to see how the pace appeared from that angle.

[@PrecisionPointTennis]

Inspiring

[@tr3der]

insane...and mezmerizing

[@TLDel]

I'm sure UCLA coach Billy Martin would love to have him on the team. LOL

[@dustyroot4708]

I think he might be eligible too now with NIL rules? idk

[@AustinConlon]

Govind Nanda in the 1 spot, Djokovic playing 2.

[@ucfkid67]

He could be a walk on??

[@arhturkim]

I have been a huge fan of Nadal… but, after he became the GOAT to be spotlighted in tennis, I really how much he loves this sport and how serious and faithful about his area!!!! I admire him!!!! GO Djoker!!!!!

[@TheFever77]

Imagine being this masterful at your craft.

[@neoi007]

The King

[@hermanodejesus7264]

Must be nerve-racking for the hitting partners to measure up 🥵

[@willkittwk]

Tuesday afternoon for the other guy. They grow up doing this shit.

[@hermanodejesus7264]

@@willkittwk still lots of pressure man....

[@willkittwk]

@@hermanodejesus7264 okay if you insist 😂

[@rds4629]

is he practicing w/ a UCLA player or did he bring his own hitter? It's amazing how many deep shots Novak easily returns over like a laser...Hope his elbow is okay (maybe he just uses that sleeve as a superstition)

[@jackquinn9535]

”Good shot” cracked me up.

[@pzivic]

Good video, chapters as well.

[@OldLongboarder65]

I've seen Novak practice at UCLA several times in the past. It must be amazing to be the GOAT and not have even 1 weakness in your game or fitness.

[@sppecials606]

I'm afraid it's not the case anymore. Nobody knows what form he is in right now but I think his chances in Indian Wells are not that great. Other's guys game grow, they become a threat. More of them. AO might have been an incident though, but maybe not so. His motivation is the key, we know nothing about that right now.

[@OldLongboarder65]

@@sppecials606Novak's the undisputed GOAT, although many love Roger and/or Rafa and despite their numbers, view them as the GOATs. You're spot on though - there are so many younger, stronger, faster tennis pros on the tour who can beat him, and this has already been happening. But, your mention of Novak's motivation is something that I ponder - what drives him now? He's already surpassed Roger and Rafa's records, and he's all too conscious of these younger players closing in on him. Does he stay on the tour and increasingly get beaten by them, or does he quit while he's ahead? I guess we'll have to wait and see.

[@AlainDupet]

Cool 🥳

[@wallaceyallup2565]

that's cool that he would show up and work out a bit with UCLA players

[@iGaleboy]

德约练球就是precise, elegant, and hardworking. 牛相比较练球时候就是手感➕explosion，并不“认真”。

[@tennisfitapp]

Top

[@djolekoraja]

Samo da ti ostanes zdrav pa jos koja titulica pa na pivo posle 😊😊😊😊 Ako nista drugo ja cu popiti koju rakijicu za tvoje zdravlje i zdravlje tvoje porodice.

[@dongtay2844]

❤❤❤

[@zlatkadimitrova8715]

НОВАК И ГОРАН СА ЛЕГЕНДИ!! ГОРДИ ВЕЛИКАНИ!! НЯМАТ СТИГАНЕ!!❤❤❤🎉🎉

[@ethanhan7402]

could be because of the camera, but I've never seen novak hit this hard 😱

[@Back2Zack]

I really appreciate how fast djokovic's prep is. It almost makes the other player look sloppy. And I'm sure the other guy is very very good himself

[@JK-vc7ie]

UCLA should make him an offer. Seems like he has potential.

[@happymind8526]

Final between Djoko and Sinner will prove whether the latter can beat him again and again and only then we can say Sinner has improved a lot.

[@draoicht22]

I think my next tennis tickets will be for practice sessions !

[@wallaceyallup2565]

it really is true, as mentioned by @ matiaspes...Novak is so fluid, I appreciate seeing this video for that very reason, to see how effortless he generates speed and spin, without looking like the college players that are full out swinging so hard to get the same, any way, have a good one My happy place is on the tennis court, competing and having fun with friends.

[@vinke3177]

I played Brian Garrow here in 1987.

[@williewasahippie]

How did you do? He was a tough player. I thought he would do better on the tour. He played in our Norcal high school section (I'm a few years older though).

[@vinke3177]

I lost, but it was a close match. I played SoCal tennis from 77-88, so Brian was unknown to me before he played at ucla. @@williewasahippie

[@orthopraxis235]

Trigeuro and Pearce rocked those courts

[@vinke3177]

Lost in a close match. I played competitive tennis in SoCal from 77-88. Did not see many NorCal players before college, except at Ojai tournament. @@williewasahippie

[@vinke3177]

@@williewasahippie I lost in a close 3 set match. I played SoCal from 77-88.

[@nicholaswilks580]

I;ve sp;ent many many summers on this exact court in my youth. It's where morning stretcches were done every morrning at the start of UCLA tennis camp, led the by the great head coach of UCLA tennis Billy Martin.

[@robmagu65]

Hey, me too! Except I was there when it was the Basset/Martin tennis camp in Ojai. One of the greatest summers I have spent feeding balls and working with those talented juniors.

[@DetectiveConan990v3]

how much do those camps typically cost

[@andromeda939]

GOAT back in CA. Strokes are puuuurrrrrrtttttyyyyyyyy.....😍

[@meisu3287]

I am so excited to see him back on the court. Come on Novak

[@westonclayton4921]

Who’s he hitting with that guys very good

[@liliwang2337]

徳约好久没看你打球了

[@shivasuresh5957]

The way Novak instantly turned up the hitting speed at around the 2 minute mark but still didn't miss. He has the ability to hit every type of shot from slower-mid pace shots with shape then switch to super hard without missing a beat. That's where you see the huge difference between him and many of the rest. He knows exactly what type of ball he wants to play at any given moment of practice or match. There is a purpose behind his hitting instead of mindlessly bashing the ball. That's what separates the elite players like Novak, Federer, and Nadal from the rest. It's the mind and talent connection.

[@kenbarrette]

Seems we have a similar tolerance for short court - 3-4 hits and then go back to the baseline

[@TimTheMusicMan]

Thats because modern players don't know how to play real tennis inside the baseline to the net, and they need the giant, light, artificial equipment and strings to hit with spin, control and power. It's all artificial.

[@leebr2010]

GOAT hits nice, smooth, controlled strokes during warmup. Amateurs try to hit winners during warmup 😀

[@dustyroot4708]

Uh oh, are there issues with the elbow?

[@Monsterenergy791]

What is he, like the top recruit??

[@streetfightsguild7480]

What a lucky university...

[@meisu3287]

The last match he played was 2 months ago....just wonder how he can stay match fit..

[@blarpieman]

It is deceptive how much weight Joker has behind his ball its insane.

[@laurastone6578]

What is Novak doing in California since he is not playing Indian Wells?

[@DieselFilms365]

wow

[@sawgames8623]

Pros are more fun to watch near-side but the shots of Djokovic playing on the far-side truly show why he's accomplished as much as he has. His routine shots are laser beams, virtually always landing within a foot or two of the baseline. Federer wins in aesthetics and Nadal wins in grit and strength, but Djokovic's ability to consistently hit flat and deep, dancing on the margins, is an oft-overlooked part of his game that is unmatched by his peers, and one could argue that it's the most valuable, underrated skill he possesses that the other members of the Big 3 don't.

[@Alexander-dt2eq]

well said. even on amateur levels, hitting a long consistant ball will always win matches. on any level this is the most important factor in tennis. Federer once mentioned it when saying. "most people train badly".. meaning they try to put the ball in the court when training, but what you should rather do is work on your technique , hit the lines and do not be shy to overhit it, so that your technique is not constrained by the size of the court. so technique first, second hitting everything deep into the court. if you manage those 2, you will win many many matches. The only difference pro/amateur level on deep shots is, that on amateur level you can always shy away from pressure with a "moon ball" . on pro level moon balls will not work that well.

[@darkdiablo1601]

underrated? Djokovic has been hitting near the baselines for years lol, that and his ability to ping the ball left and right has been there since at least AO 2007, what he has changed a lot is his diet and stamina, also mental strength

[@sawgames8623]

@@darkdiablo1601 Yes, it's an underrated part of his game that he's probably the best at, ever. The mainstream narrative is that Federer is the artist, Nadal is the warrior, and Djokovic is a machine, or some variation of that in which Djokovic only gets credit for getting balls back like a brick wall. That doesn't capture his all-time skill of painting the lines coupled with the sheer quality of his strokes. So, yes, I say that part of his game is underrated, or at least not properly appreciated by the mainstream.

[@mototaco2132]

I recall goofing around on this court, and to think Novak is practicing on same court... weird feeling.

[@JohnDoe-xu2vx]

Probably similar speed court as he will be playing in Indian Wells

[@jamhuri335]

😀👍🤝

[@tennisjourney]

Nole's hitting partner is UCSB Legend Nico Moreno American #149 as of Feb 2024

[@user-ye7jo9ro3x]

请问用什么设备录制的，好清晰

[@jimmyhou8129]

iPhone 15 Pro

[@raykanon1736]

Who's the guys he's playing with?

[@camctrail]

Something I'm curious about: I know Novak is Serbian and Goran (his coach) is Croatian... does Novak know the Croatian language, is that how they communicate?

[@dustyroot4708]

I wish Sampras made it out. I know he lives right by there. Hope he’s doing well.

[@a2max280]

Warm up for indian wells?

[@misos4342]

Yes, he is playing there this year

[@HermanWaldorf]

too bad Sinner is in Indian Wells too

[@a2max280]

​@@HermanWaldorf hopefully opposite sides of draw

[@HasteCakes]

other guy grunts like james blake

[@supreadytoparty]

Where is everyone? Was this not advertised???

[@perrygoldman612]

djokovic made it so easy with that kind of power... wow

[@dslrlearner5890]

For future reference, wonder where people got this practice information from? My daughter was mad 'cause she missed it; The court is very close to her dorm.

[@BishopTennis]

Just gotta keep an eye out during this time of yr since it's a tradition for pros to come to ucla before indian wells to practice

[@dustyroot4708]

Yes, wasn’t the “LA Open” held there historically a week or two before Indian Wells? I think it’s a carryover of that.

[@Slanghomy]

No one knew beforehand. In fact, the stadium was overall surprisingly empty while Novak was practicing. People only found out through word-of-mouth (Instagram + Snapchat stories).

[@xtremevp12]

great footage. Shame he didn't play with a few BRUINS players, but he's not here for that I suppose.

[@Multisportamateur]

Everyone’s probably asking: where is Karue Sell? Hahahhahah

[@claus1225]

is this free? i'm surprised ppl didnt pack the place to see GOAT.

[@MrJohnnyblazed]

Who is he hitting with its not Govind Nonda

[@Zac_Conti_Invests]

So the first time I watched this I thought, wow the other guy is kind of outplaying Nole. Then I heard a pro comment on how practices are incredibly specific and they really focus on every ball they are hitting. Today I practiced with a player who was trying to hit winners off my feeds and I was getting a little irritated. So I watched this video again. .. and just want to point out from 1:00-3:00 look how intentional every ball he hits is aimed exactly at the T. The opponent barely has to move. Yet his ball is varying heavily. Incredible really the difference.

[@aleksandarjankovski6542]

Against whom is Djoković hitting?

[@JH-bb8in]

Can he beat Karue Sell?

[@eincan1313]

Maybe if he starts practicing more and really takes it seriously 😂😂😂

[@smashthestateX]

damn kid u got the money for 60fps cheers

[@AustinConlon]

Any modern iPhone does 4K 60 FPS, looks great.

[@smashthestateX]

most people dont know how to change 60fps. look at all the footage here. they dont even 1080p@@AustinConlon

[@bsome427]

UCLA should invite Djokovic to teach tennis for a semester after he retires

[@pablok2854]

Who is the sparring? he's amazing player. is he from his team or a local UCLA?

[@fg92626]

#415 and counting

[@etazu8666]

Why did Djokovic train at UCLA? I thought it was just a college, imagine an ATP top 10 just showing up at your college and training…

[@enzofortes6708]

Why does he wear that sleeve???

[@Dusk80]

He has been experiencing some discomfort in his right hand wrist lately, before and during AO. I suppose it has something to do with that.

[@joorcomet3029]

Could be lateral epicondylitis/tennis elbow/ that comes again though Novak has gotten the surgery on that arm before. Hope I am wrong while this is so complex and difficult injury to heal in a short period of time.

[@enzofortes6708]

Has he ever had surgery for epicondylitis?

[@joorcomet3029]

​@@enzofortes6708“I cried after I had the surgery on my elbow. Every time I thought about what I did, I felt like I had failed myself.”

[@danielefaroni2580]

GOOSE

[@crosscourtwinner]

started practice w a new fh technique and halfway through hated it and went back to normal one lol. don’t blame him, the one he was trying was too stiff and lacked explosive power & spin.

[@user-wj9bz8xi9u]

What point in the video did he change the fh back?

[@tijgertjekonijnwordopgegeten]

At no point during this video did he play with a different technique from what he normally uses.

[@dustyroot4708]

Yeah, I don’t know about this claim, but @7:31 he’s not happy about something and he’s consulting Goran about it.

[@crosscourtwinner]

not sure how long yall have been watching tennis, but since novak’s matches are all on youtube, you guys can go back and literally watch the evolution of his forehand and service motions respectively.

[@crosscourtwinner]

@@tijgertjekonijnwordopgegeten i was going to reply regarding the technical changes, but i’m frequently encountering a ridiculous amount of aggressive trolls on youtube compared to other platforms. so i’ll just say “okay we have different observations” and i’ll leave it at that. 👍🏽 (not calling you one of those. just saying i’m not getting into any back and forths on youtube anymore. just gonna state my thoughts, observations and/or opinions and dip out lmao)

[@calebkang5544]

who's the hitting partner?

[@user-xf2ix9zf5l]

Nicolas Moreno De Alboran I believe from the grunt

[@bicyclethief]

@@user-xf2ix9zf5l lol you know your grunts sir

[@Luksredut]

Nicolas its argentinian player pro...

[@FC-oh9hd]

​@@Luksredut Spanish not argentinian.

[@gauravchaudhry1825]

2:26

[@bbc-monster]

Practice all you want boy...you gonna cry at the hand of king alcaraz

[@bts_txt27jenn63]

did i just hear someone say "NADAL IS BETTER"?? hahahaha. am i living in pluto or what?

[@MrJohnnyblazed]

For anybody who thinks pros are "too good" for short court...

[@orthopraxis235]

UH...didn't even hit in the short court. Was in no man's land for 3 balls.

[@MrJohnnyblazed]

@@orthopraxis235 that's short court...

[@georgeedginton2541]

37 year old man hitting a ball is this lance Armstrong. Because his nature is same. OCD on sport. It's sick actually

[@quentincrisp6933]

This guy from U.C.L.A. makes too many errors‼

[@mikesonic29]

I hope they cancelled classes for this

[@georgeedginton2541]

LoL they love him because he can hit a ball. LoL I love the surgeon that operated on me and saved lives.. selfish idiot hitting a ball does nothing but serves his selfish nature.

[@iffster21]

What an idiotic comparison

[@williamsannuto8239]

The doper in chief