Coach Evan who analyses matches on Tennisnerd from time to time can’t stop marvelling at how Djokovic plays differently than other players.

Djokovic Plays Differently

When you watch Djokovic, you need a pen and paper.
Did you get one?
Put the “Pen” in your hand (and let go of your “pencil.”
Papa always said, “Shake it more than twice, and your “playing with it.”
All right! All right!
Laugh a little.
Don’t be so stuffy.

But, when you watch a Djokovic match, forget watching the ball, forget the shots he hits and watch
his opponent’s movements. Novak is the ultimate Marionette. Pay attention to how he shifts his opponents. A little movement here, more spacial there. This is the Evolution of Tennis.

Think of a Pyramid. Getting to where Djokovic is (in mastery of combinations and patterns) takes years of
development. Try comparing other players to him. You can’t!

A small piece of the puzzle

I’m not saying I have all the answers. But I have an idea of what he’s doing. At the very least, by studying his matches, I have restructured how I train players. And feel I have rapidly “evolved” as a coach over the past year.

I was already teaching zone tennis and Serve +1s. And manipulation of opponents’ movements (and breaking their muscle memory). What Djokovic does blows my mind. It’s as if he’s tying his opponent’s sneakers together.

Consider what you know about tennis, whether you are a club player, a junior, a college player (D1), or a Future level player. Why do so many players stay in “Purgatory?” They level off. Do you have an answer? What is your knowledge of tennis today? Do you think of tennis as “2s?” Deuce and Ad.

I get it. But I’m the guy who “shocks” the system. I don’t do it to be a Douche. I do it because you’re
living in a FOG! I’ll lay it out.

Thinking in 2s falls into the “strategy” of Zone Tennis. You have two sides to the court. Now cut the Deuce side into 2, and it’s still a “framework” of 2’s. Cut the Ad side into 2—even the middle. This is the beginning of understanding the game at a “higher” level.

Djokovic has been Box training since 2014. It’s 2023! What you see today is eight years of Box training. Can everyone Box train? It comes down to your mind and who you are (your personality). People who Box train want more out of the game than the basics. Why?

What separates one player from the other if everyone is doing the same thing?

$$$$$$$$$$$$$!!!!!
-Better Coaches (Where are they?)
-Better Training (How are your genetics without the ROID help)
-Better Food (you ain’t going to Wimbledon on Whoppers and Big Macs)
-Outside the Box thinking (Stop Clinic-ing so much and play more matches during the week).

Box training doesn’t value $$$$$! Anyone can do it, and it doesn’t require the above. Yes, it does! But not to the tenth degree. And you don’t need the ROIDS. Not Hemorrhoids, you bonehead. If you want hemorrhoids, sit on an aluminum bench for six hours.

Djokovic uses multiple “sets” of combos. He dissects the court into pieces in training and has evolved to attacking players’ “recovery” locations. He attacks certain areas (and then Diverts to other areas), and essentially he attacks
players’ movements. He manipulates their movements as a “Simon Says.”

Three Boxing

Players need to advance to three boxing (cutting the court into threes), which can change how big the training areas are and how “tight.” There are many forms of three boxing but outside of the “training,” learning how to use it tactically is where the Gold is. Four Boxing. This is the next phase of training.

These will be different forms of “Wheel” combos. I’m writing a chapter on “wheels” and their value. I have more writing to come about this, but unfortunately, I must go to work.

Listen!
I’m not acting like I know what’s going on.
I’m just trying to even the playing field.

Ps. You can listen to the recent podcast I did with Coach Evan below Ds.