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MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – JANUARY 20: Stefanos Tsitsipas (R) of Greece and Roger Federer of Switzerland congratulate each other after Australian Open 2019 Men’s Singles match in Melbourne, Australia on January 20, 2019. Stefanos Tsitsipas won the match with 3-2. (Photo by Recep Sakar/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
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MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – JANUARY 20: Stefanos Tsitsipas (R) of Greece and Roger Federer of Switzerland congratulate each other after Australian Open 2019 Men’s Singles match in Melbourne, Australia on January 20, 2019. Stefanos Tsitsipas won the match with 3-2. (Photo by Recep Sakar/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
In the legendary artillery of Roger Federer is the slice backhand. This is an elegant-looking shot that allows tennis players to place the ball in the angle they desire. Recently, Patrick Mouratoglou shared a video of him teaching the slice backhand to Stefanos Tsitsipas.
The Frenchman is currently the biggest coach in the tennis fraternity. His mentees include Serena Williams, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Coco Gauff, and many young-talents in his coaching academies. Since the quarantine has made it tough for players to train extensively, Patrick has found a way through it.
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Recently on Instagram, the French coach gave a brief lesson on how to perfectly execute Roger Federer‘s slice backhand. The trick lies in the wrist moves, which Patrick demonstrated for the Greek World No. 6.
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A lesson on Roger Federer’s ‘slice backhand’
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Tennis – ATP Finals – The O2, London, Britain – November 17, 2020, Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas in action during his group stage match against Russia’s Andrey Rublev Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs
Mouratoglou has the experience of winning numerous Grand Slams with Serena Williams. The same expertise shows in his coaching lesson.
In the video, the Frenchman shows Tsitsipas various uses of the wrist. He also explains to the Greek player that to find the short angle better, he needs to use the wrist more. Once Greece’s best player got the hang of the movement, he had a big smile on his face.
Since players are in quarantine in the Australian Open 2021 bubble, such videos can come in handy. According to Patrick, this is the best way to go about in the quarantine conditions. “Surviving quarantine thanks to old-school coaching videos like this one,” Mouratoglou captioned the video.
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At 39, Serena Williams is in and Roger Federer is out of Australian Open 2021
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MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA – MARCH 20: (L-R) Serena Williams of the United States speaks to Roger Federer of Switzerland during the ribbon-cutting ceremony on the new Stadium Court at the Hard Rock Stadium, before the first match of the Miami Open on March 20, 2019, in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by TPN/Getty Images)
Presently, the Frenchman is with Serena Williams and sister Venus Williams in Adelaide. They are training for the opening Slam of the year, the Australian Open 2021.
The 23-time Grand Slam champion has a big goal set in Melbourne Park. Serena aims to equal Margaret Court’s all-time record of most Grand Slams titles (24). Federer, who also had hoped to return to Melbourne Park, withdrew because of not being 100% fit.
Before she campaigns for the major title, Serena will also participate in an exhibition match in Adelaide. The event will also star Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Dominic Thiem, Simona Halep, and Naomi Osaka.
Who do you think will win the Australian Open this year?
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