What is it that makes Novak Djokovic’s (a.k.a the GOAT as of 2026) backhand such a reliable and potent shot? And how can recreational players like us who play with double-handed backhands learn from the GOAT? I would like to propose four principles in this first part of the article.
Principle 1: Spread Your Legs Wide
Get in ready position with racket at the center of your body with body weight leaning slightly in front while maintaining a leg space width of about one racket length apart or slightly wider than your shoulder width. This might be uncomfortable for starters who are not used to spreading your legs so wide but be conscious to practice a wide stance as this brings about two main benefits namely a more efficient court coverage and increased stability on the backhand stroke.
The former is so as a wider feet stance allows you to cover the court in fewer (larger) steps as compared to a narrower feet stance. Covering the court in lesser steps allows players like Djokovic to conserve energy throughout the match thus increasing his stamina to outlast his opponents.
The latter is a result of a lower center of gravity when your feet distance is wider thus aiding in keeping one balanced, stable and low so as to get more easily under the ball and easier loading on your legs to strike the ball with conviction.
Principle 2: Split Step to Initiate Your Backhand
The split step cannot be emphasised enough for not only Djokovic does it but all professional tennis players do so. Recreational players, on the other hand, tend to overlook this step due to lazy feet but the split step (i.e. a simple hop when the opponent contacts the ball) is imperative in good tennis footwork as it helps you to react fast by keeping your feet light and ready-to-launch in initiating your backhand. So, like Djokovic, make it a point to remind yourself in executing the split step to initiate the backhand and see your reaction time and even your focus and concentration increasing.
Principle 3: Rotate Your Upper Body Immediately After Your Split Step
The key word here is “immediately” that is once after Djokovic splits step, he rotates his upper body right after. This ensures early preparation and enables Djokovic or you as a player to have plenty of time to prepare your backhand shot. So seek to always remind yourself of rotating your upper body after the split step and do it over and over again until it becomes engrained in your body movement. Another important point to note is that when rotating your upper body, be sure to keep your eyes looking forward towards the ball as you see Djokovic doing and not looking to your racket or to the side of the court which sometimes beginners tend to do which results in unnecessary movement or late contact of the incoming ball.
Principle 4: Rotate Your Upper Body Until Your Chin Nears Shoulder Blade
The fourth principle that recreational players can emulate is rotating your upper body until your chin almost touches your shoulder blade. This marker is a good indicator that you have rotated your upper body sufficiently enough to get a good coil and subsequently a fuller hip rotation on the incoming ball adding easy power to your shot. A good way to practice this is to stand in front of the mirror executing a backhand shadow stroke or you may record yourself hitting a double handed backhand stroke and note where your chin is nearing when you rotate your upper body and correct it where necessary.
Featured image: Adapted from a photo by Roberto Faccenda via Wikimedia Commons. Licensed under cc-by-sa-2.0.
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