Both players are arguable considered to be 2 of the very best mens professional tennis players in the world, and with Djokovic and Nadal holding both the number 1 and number 2 spots respectively their performances on-court certainly do nothing to contradict this opinion. Both have particularly impressive tennis playing styles, the two players are easily able to dominate the matches that they participate in, but how does the Djokovic tennis game compare the Nadal tennis game and what is it about both players that makes them such powerful athletes?
Rafa Nadal stands out as a tennis player, not only for his skills and ability but also for his left-handed playing style. With a double-handed backhand as his most powerful playing position, he consistently plays an aggressive game situated on court as what tennis insiders refer to as a behind the baseline. With fast footwork and the ability to easily cover distances across the court, Nadal is a particularly aggressive and dominant defender and counter-puncher and no more is this evident than when he dominates his way through clay court matches.
By comparison, Novak Djokovic is a right-handed player but he also prefers the two-handed backhand shot. Unlike Nadal, who tends to stay behind the baseline and charges with pure speed and aggression during a game, Djokovic tends to use all of the court but does put some emphasis on being aggressive when on the baseline. With a backhand that many consider to be one of the very best in the mens tennis game today, the Djokovic tennis style shows superior agility, pace and precision.
Djokovic and Nadal are elite athletes, both in their prime in terms of ability and age, but what makes them such great tennis players is their ability to master both their playing styles and the games that they participate in. There are, of course, rare occasions when both players have lost matches (some of which have been surprising losses) but consistently they are able to dominate and control the games that they are playing in knowing exactly when to fully commit to aggressive forward-focused play and when to step back and defend. The two players understand the intricacies that are involved in setting up and successfully executing their powers shots, and also have a very exciting playing style that entertains crowds no matter where in the world they are playing.
Whether Djokovic is able to retain his number 1 position at the end of this tennis season remains to be seen, but one thing that is for certain is that when he faces Nadal both the crowd and their fellow players will be treated to exceptional examples of professional tennis.
