Gaël Monfils (here, Thursday, in Indian Wells) is one of the players capable of performing spectacular tricks to cover the court in defense. MICHAEL OWENS/Getty Images via AFP
DECRYPTION – Djokovic, Alcaraz, Sinner or Swiatek are experts in “sliding” on all surfaces. An essential element in modern tennis.
The blows rain. With violence. The strings are heating up. The soles creak, almost smoking. The shrill sounds could accompany a car chase scene in an underground parking lot. The slips are controlled, the play is wild, the speed is staggering, the pressure is permanent. In Indian Wells (this week), Flushing Meadows, Melbourne and Miami, players spectacularly perform long slides on hard surfaces (outdoors or indoors). A way to shorten time, increase intensity. The pioneers of hard slides, often concluded with spectacular splits, are Kim Clijsters, Michael Chang, Parandorm Srichaphan and Marcelo Rios.
The current specialists, capable of insane moves offering spectacular ground coverage, are Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner (two excellent skiers), Gaël Monfils, Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek. Slide, the element that has become essential in the high-level kit. For the…
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