How the world’s top tennis players ‘slide to get to the ball’

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The world's top five male stars all use sliding technique to their advantage
Allows them to reach shots and change direction quicker than if they ran
Research showed top five employed tactic for three out of ten return shots
Many doctors and coaches discourage sliding as it can easily lead to injury

Published: 05:55 EST, 6 September 2015 | Updated: 07:34 EST, 6 September 2015

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It's a modern tennis phenomenon which has left many fans questioning the quality of the grip on players' shoes.

But a new study suggests skidding across the court to reach shots is an intentional technique practiced by the top five male players in the world.

After analysing hours of matches from the Australian and US Open, a team of scientists says the tactic is regularly used as it's quicker than running and allows players to change direction sooner.

The sliders: New research shows how the top five male tennis players in the world, including Novak Djokovic (left) and Andy Murray (right), regularly use the sliding technique to reach shots

The sight of the sport's top stars - most notably world number one Novak Djokovic - sliding across the court with one leg flailing behind them has become commonplace.

Many players now even prefer to use slightly worn trainers so that the soles of the shoes are smoother.

Biomechanical engineers from the University of Sheffield worked with the sport's governing body, the International Tennis Federation (ITF), to find out just how popular the method has become.

They found that the top five ranked players in the world now make three out of ten returns during hard court matches while sliding.

The experts claim sliding on the synthetic surface gives players a hefty speed advantage, enabling them to reach shots and change direction far quicker than if they were to run.

Daniel Ura of Sheffield University told The Sunday Telegraph: 'Only a few [players] have mastered this as the friction between the shoe and the court is quite high.

Top tactic: The method, employed by Rafael Nadal during his 3rd round men's singles match on day five of the US Open, has become commonplace on hard courts, having long been used on clay courts

Quicker than running: Scientists say players slide because it allows them to reach shots and change direction quicker. Above Roger Federer uses the technique

'If the surface is not totally even then it becomes difficult to slide and players can easily twist an ankle.

'It is something that shoe manufactures will look at to ensure they can allow players to use this style of play on hard courts.'

Jamie Capel-Davies, of the ITF. says the aim is to develop a sliding test for each surface so players can be given more information before a tournament.

Despite the benefit of increasing a player's ability to recover for an upcoming shot, some coaches and doctors consider sliding dangerous.

On clay courts, the tactic has long been a crucial part of the game, most famously at the French Open.

But the phenomenon of sliding on hard courts and even grass is relatively new.

The master: Novak Djokovic, pictured in this year's US Open, is renowned for skidding across the court with his legs flailing behind him to reach shots

Dr. Alex Kor, a Maryland-based podiatrist and nationally ranked senior tennis player, told Inside Science: 'For the most part, I think sliding on a hard court, unless somebody grew up with it, can result in injury. It's not for the recreational player

'Unless you are very well adept at it, you are going to end up with an injury, an ankle sprain, an ankle fracture.'

Doug Eng, a tennis coach at Lesley University in Massachustes, believes the sliding technique is the result of the game becoming faster - forcing players to come up with a new answer to reaching balls quicker.

He said: 'Because the ball's moving faster and it sits up a little more than it used to, players are forced to move quicker to the positions on the court.'

Sliding on clay courts is seen as utterly essential to being successful.

Mats Wilander, three-time winner at Rolland Garros, told Tennis View Magazine: 'If you're a man, there's no way you can win the French Open if you don't slide.'

But he admits: 'Anytime you're going to be offensive, I don't think sliding is necessarily a good thing.

'I don't think sliding will be ever used in an offensive way. It's more of when you're in a defensive position.'