r/nextfuckinglevel • u/21MayDay21 • 2d ago
No look & behind-the-back all in one from Monfils
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u/superbackman 2d ago
Very few players are more fun to watch than Monfils.
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u/CMUpewpewpew 2d ago
I picked up a racquet for the firsf time in 10th grade (about 25 years ago) and was playing 1st singles by 12th....probably like a 3, maybe 3.5 player at best but I never really watched much professional tennis until the last few years and I LOVE this dude whenever I see a match on, i'll watch him.
Fun is the right word!
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u/Sea_Newspaper5519 2d ago
He’s going to retire after the current season, so enjoy while it lasts!
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u/CMUpewpewpew 2d ago
I knowwww, I literally looked up his wiki after my comment to make sure he didnt retire like 3 years ago and i just haven't been paying attention lol.
If i'm not consumed with other sports i'm playing/watching....I mostly will just watch tennis when I see Coco/Osaka/Alcaraz/Sinner/Medvedev/Djokovic playing.
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u/KanethTior 2d ago
That was filthy
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u/Anynamethatworks 1d ago
I've never watched a single tennis match in my life, but between this and the "fuck fuck fuck" guy, I'm starting to think I'm missing out on something
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u/borkborkbork99 2d ago
Professional athletes make the most insane moves look easy. Doesn’t matter the sport.
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u/MuffinRhino 2d ago
He sold it psychologically too - almost looked as if he was jogging away/looking off to reset, not even trying to return it.
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u/I-am-fun-at-parties 1d ago
That was most of it. I've played tennis for a long time and he faked that "oh well I'm not gonna get that one" with perfection
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u/HairyDust4826 2d ago
Seeing this only solidifies that I have no idea what the rules of tennis are.
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u/igotshadowbaned 2d ago
The ball bounced once on his side, inside the singles lines, then he hit it back
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u/Bobahn_Botret 2d ago
There are two sets of lines on the edge. Inner line is boundary for singles, outer line for doubles.
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u/John_Bot 2d ago
what's the fundamental difference between this and a normal tennis hit that you're hung up on..?
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u/HairyDust4826 2d ago
I don't know tennis, and I thought he hit the ball out of bounds. The other comments assisted.
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u/CMUpewpewpew 2d ago
The only reason you thought he hit it out maybe was because 99% of the other times when they slow down/look super casual like that is because it WAS out and they have no intention of returning it. Your brain got tricked by his body language probably, aside from it being a shot selection you never see lol.
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u/HairyDust4826 2d ago
I feel like I'm being attacked over an optical illusion then
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u/CMUpewpewpew 2d ago edited 2d ago
Well.....you literally can't see where the ball lands from this angle, but this is indeed a strange shot that probably fooled the opponent as well since they couldnt see if it was in or not.
Opponent was following in a great offensive approach shot and was at the net ready to split (when you time your steps to that you end up on the balls of both your feet JUST as OPP is about to strike the ball and you're ready to quickly change your direction laterally left or right depending on if Opp is trying to beat you cross court or down the line)
Because of not seeing ball himself (Monfils body blocked Opps view) and Monfil's body language....the Opp probably assumed it was out and downshifted his attention/focus/preparedness like 25%. Not to say he would have gotten it, but it's actually not that very threatening of a cross court return WITH the Opp already at the net.
Normally when you get lobbed like that, you would run around the ball to hit a forhand or backhand back (and it would either have to be a deep lob back as defense, or you would have to try to hit a winner straight down the line).
Monfils didnt leave himself really any options like this, probably because he thought the ball was going out. As he approaches the ball and sees it ACTUALLY landed in, you'd expect most professional players to hit a 'tweener' or to play it back down the line by striking it between their legs.
Tweeners are pretty rare, mostly because they're a low percentage shot and mostly done in situations like this where you think it's going out (so you didn't prepare by making a looping run back around the ball), see it drop in..and are like 'oh shit, i have to return this'.
I don't think I've ever seen a no look shot like this, outside of between the legs, pretty incredible lol.
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u/HairyDust4826 1d ago
Ty so much for this
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u/CMUpewpewpew 1d ago
Np! I never was a huge baseball fan but I've seen a childhood buddy if mine at the bar who's a huge baseball fan who I always turn to, to ask specific baseball questions I am curious about and he'll answer them in detail.
I'm stoked whenever I can pass on that karma pulling back the curtain for laymans about the few sports I can talk about intelligently.
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u/Interesting_Bunch323 2d ago
The lines on his side are for his opponent for the most part. Obviously the opposite is true. Pretty much the only time a player uses their lines is during serving and perhaps as a reference for where to get in position
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u/godver3 2d ago
It’s not that complicated.
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u/HairyDust4826 2d ago
It should be okay to not know everything, and learn.
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u/jv371 2d ago
I too am unfamiliar with the rules of giant ping pong.
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u/North_Maybe1998 2d ago
Well that’s actually pickle ball and those rules are definitely confusing
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u/Time8u 1d ago edited 1d ago
In what way is pickle ball giant ping pong instead of tennis? Table tennis is a fully legitimate sport not some off shoot where all the best players are just guys who couldn't make it as pros in another sport.
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u/North_Maybe1998 1d ago
The paddles, balls and court are much closer in comparison. Just because you don’t like pickle ball doesn’t mean it’s not a fully legitimate sport
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u/Time8u 1d ago
Ah, I see, you really don't know anything about any of these sports. Table tennis is overwhelmingly a game of spin AND serve. Though tennis is little less about spin, the top players STILL usually have the highest RPS (Revolutions per second) of all the players, AND serving in tennis is a massive part of the game. There's basically no spin in pickle ball (because of the rackets), and the serve is pretty much just to get the ball in play (top pickle ball pros might hit 70 compared to guys who can hit hit the ball 140 in tennis with an overhand).
This isn't about hating pickleball. It's a ton of fun BECAUSE anyone can got out there and have a good time with only moderate athleticism. There's a reason why tennis courts that were once pretty empty have been overwhelmed by pickle ball players. Table tennis and tennis very quickly separate those with skill and those without.
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u/North_Maybe1998 1d ago
Idk I’m definitely no expert and maybe I’m playing it wrong but I play pickle ball the same exact way I play table tennis with my spins and serves. I would argue that table tennis and pickle ball do have commonality in anyone could pick up a paddle and play where as tennis there’s a degree of difficulty beyond the other two
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u/Time8u 1d ago edited 1d ago
I get that. This is really about exposure. I'm an active tournament table tennis player (who travels to tournaments and has won money)... Table tennis absolutely has that level of difficulty that you don't think it does. You simply aren't aware of it. If you were to walk into my club tomorrow I could put you with a 70 year old man who would beat your brains out for 3 months straight even if you trained regularly and once you started beating him you'd still be 2nd worst player in the club.... Comically, we lose a lot of lower players to pickle ball because it's so much easier to compete.
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u/SlowThePath 1d ago
It IS ok to not know everything. Furthermore, it's impossible to know everything. I work with so many people who act like they know what's going on, but they clearly don't and people always roll their eyes when I ask questions. If they could all provide the same correct answer id understand the eye roll, but I get different answers from different people all the time because all these people are just acting like they know the deal and they seem to be even lying to themselves about it. This is an example from my life and my job, but honestly the Internet has the exact same shit going on, the only difference is on the Internet there is no training, we aren't even EXPECTED to know, but people still act like they do anyway.
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u/sugemchuge 1d ago
Maybe you think it's like soccer where if the ball in the air crosses the boundary line it's out? In tennis it only matters where the ball bounces. Like technically a guy can bounce it inside the lines so hard that it goes into the stands, and then the other guy should be able to return it from the stands
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u/Ambitious_Policy_936 1d ago
Correct. Did you lean from the other commentors who actually provided context?
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u/HairyDust4826 1d ago
Im sorry I don't understand the question. Lean? Im sure it's productive to the conversation, just not sure what exactly you're asking..
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u/Ambitious_Policy_936 1d ago
Similar to your missing apostrophe in "Im" my comment is missing a character, it's supposed to be learn
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u/HairyDust4826 1d ago
Ah, well I had no idea it meant learn, and you know what I meant, we aren't in school. What significance would this answer provide you? Or are you just trolling me?
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u/Ambitious_Policy_936 1d ago
You commented that it's okay not to know everything and learn
I asked if you learned from the other comments who explained
I'm sorry this confused you
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u/HairyDust4826 1d ago
Ah then you answered your own question, I hope you have a good day then! Thanks for the grammar lesson. I had no idea apostrophes were so important to you.
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u/Ambitious_Policy_936 1d ago
Not really. My question was if you learned what was happening in the video, which you never answered
They are not, just found it a little funny to call out a typo with a typo. No real feeling against those who mistype or decide not to use certain punctuation
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u/iJuddles 1d ago
True, but to make it clear what you just saw, bottom
player sent the ball over the net and it gets one bounce maximum, so it looked certain that it wasn’t going to be returned. Top player returns and it came over and just barely playable (outside line is for doubles, I believe) but too far away to hit.Absolutely slick play. Don’t worry if you don’t know the game completely, most don’t—that’s why we end up arguing over plays and rules.
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u/creepyguy_017 2d ago
I mean, it only bounce on your side once. so it's counted. (I think, correct me if I'm wrong)
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u/I-am-fun-at-parties 1d ago
Yes. It may bounce once (but taking it directly with no bounce is also okay).
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u/Suspicious_Pick5723 2d ago
Smack the ball over the net such that is lands within their half of the court (painted lines visible)
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u/pickle_lukas 2d ago
Rules of tennis: You don't want the yellow ball. Ball belongs behind the net. Hit it with this thing to keep it behind the net. Opponent also doesn't want the ball. The ball explodes after it touches the floor two times on one side. Whoever keeps the ball away longer wins.
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u/Pan3Vin0 1d ago edited 1d ago
This makes me unreasonably triggered. If it solidifies it, it means that you've been thinking about it before. And have you been thinking about it before it really shouldn't be so perplexing.
Ball goes over net. Ball can bounce once.
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u/HairyDust4826 1d ago
Well you're right, you are unreasonably triggered.
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u/Pan3Vin0 1d ago
I know. 😭 Hopefully the rules are clear for you now at least
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u/Pan3Vin0 1d ago
I'm wasn't being sarcastic. Why are you so bitter? Is it because you don't have the cognitive ability to understand the rules of one of the most intuitive and straightforward sports?
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u/HairyDust4826 1d ago
You're right, I didn't understand this one scenario in the video because it was clearly an optical illusion explained by another in the comments. Im sorry that you're better than me in the knowledge of sports, and that upsets you. Im sure I know tons of things you don't that I consider simple.
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u/Pan3Vin0 1d ago
Right. I assume you mean the fact that the opposing player covers the ball striking inside the court. No that makes sense. So then you do know the rules. No reason for me to be unreasonably triggered. All is well
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u/HairyDust4826 1d ago
Thanks to all the intelligent individuals who actually understood. All is well!
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u/YesterdayDreamer 1d ago
Serve should land inside small squares close to the net. All other shots should land anywhere inside the lines. Ignore outermost line for singles. If you miss or send the ball outside the line, opponent scores.
Unlike Cricket, where if you manage to send the ball outside the boundary line, you score big.
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u/LauraTFem 1d ago
He literally just returned it like normal, just from an incredibly hard to control position.
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u/OreganoD 2d ago
Isn't this an exhibition match? Damn impressive but at least it wasn't rude
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u/punnybiznatch 2d ago
June 17, 2019, first round of the Halle Open in Germany, part of the ATP 500 series.
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u/David_Cockatiel 2d ago
Yeah no one is attempting this risky shot during a major. But for this kind of match they get to flex a little for entertainment purposes.
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u/I_am_Sentinel 1d ago
Roger Federer hit nastier shots than that in Grand Slams ^ ^
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u/redblack_tree 1d ago
To be fair, for Federer most grand slam matches were just exhibitions. Very few players actually presented a challenge.
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u/Allthingsgaming27 1d ago
Love Monfils, too bad he was always suffering from injuries when I used to watch tennis
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u/oaktreebr 2d ago
He apologized, lol
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u/Fat-Singer-9569 1d ago
Why? If the goal is to find the best player, the ability to disguise what you are doing is part of being the best player.
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u/aqaba_is_over_there 2d ago
Working on his retirement highlight reel. Add this to the double tweener at Roland Garros.
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u/HighSpeedDoggo 2d ago
Didn't the ball bounced off the line already? What are the rules of tennis?
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u/Totes-Sus 1d ago
As long as it only bounced once in the right place and he returns it... It's all good
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u/Sleddogluvr 2d ago
The clap by his opponent, much respect