Shots with less topspin don’t bounce as high, in turn making them more difficult for opponents to track down.A player’s stance dictates how he stands in relation to the baseline. An open stance is with both feet parallel with the baseline, a neutral stance is with the feet perpendicular to the baseline, and a closed stance is with the front leg slightly crossed in front of the back leg.Federer almost always employs a mostly open stance, which gives him a full, unhindered view of the entire court.However, using such a stance requires an enormous amount of core strength since he must rotate his entire torso through his stroke. At the conclusion of his stroke, his right shoulder is facing his opponent, meaning he is rotating 90+ degrees on every stroke.Federer’s most recent victory came at age 35, which is amazing given that most athletes peak in their mid to late 20’s. His success, in some measure, is probably due to his ability to cover the court with minimal movement.In 2015, Federer covered the least distance per point among the big four (Murray, Nadal, Djokovic, Federer), at only 9.7 meters per point.This economy of movement allows Federer to preserve energy during his matches. This minimal energy expenditure is increasingly important if a match goes long. John Colapinto says The impression, as others have pointed out, is of weightlessness, gliding; McEnroe is fond of saying that it is Federer’s exceptionally light footwork that has prevented him from injuring his knees on the hard court, like his rival Nadal and so many other men on the tour. McEnroe also likes to compare Fed’s footwork to Baryshnikov ’s, and to ballet in general.Federer’s forehand is his weapon of choice. It is the sword with which he dispatches his enemies, cutting them down with cold-hearted efficiency. He is able to use it in a befuddling number of ways, sometimes playing heavy, other times playing flat, and still other times playing fast.Federer’s ability to mix up his forehand constantly keeps his opponents off balance. He avoids set patterns, which prevents opponents from knowing where and how he’s going to hit the ball.Just how much does Federer rely on his forehand? As The Telegraph notes Roger Federer’s forehand unleashes hell like no other. It sounds like a cannon going off: the fluid, racquet-head speed is off the charts. In the five years from 2000-2014 at the London Tour finals, 73% of Federer’s winners from the baseline were forehands (23% backhand). At every opportunity, Federer will run around a backhand in the advantage court to upgrade to a forehand.What’s essential to note is the technique behind Federer’s forehand. Before unleashing his forehand, he first positions his body properly, ensuring his core, shoulders, and racket are properly positioned.Then, using a compact and fluid takeback, followed by a full core rotation, he powers his entire body through the ball, driving it at his opponent with incredible amount of force.Notice the fluid, whiplike motion of his racket as it hits the ball. As one tennis coach notes:As Federer prepares to meet the ball, his forehand is usually noted for having an extreme acceleration in the last 18 inches before contact is made.This is due in large part to the position of his wrist, which is bent almost entirely back from the racquet, ensuring another whip-like component that will add punch to the shot. That position of the wrist will also give Federer the option to hit his inside-out forehand if he so chooses.Federer employs a variety of tactics with his forehand, using it to move his opponents all over the court, tiring them out and keeping them off balance.Many times, he uses a crosscourt forehand to push his opponents to one side, then drives it down the line with another forehand. Alternatively, he can send it crosscourt again using a backhand or inside out forehand. The effect is that his opponents find themselves exhausted and confused as to where the ball will go.Federer also has a unique backhand that generates far more spin than that of his rivals. For comparison Federer - 5,300 RPM (Revolutions Per Minute)Nadal - 4,300 RPMDjokovic - 2,800 RPMMurray - 2,500 RPMFederer’s backhand, which he markedly improved after being injured in 2016, was one of the key reasons he was able to recently beat Nadal, who had previously been able to take advantage of Federer’s backhand.I think I've gotten really confident, a lot of practice at the end of the season. Then, at the beginning of the year when I started to play again, I was able to step into the court and drive the backhand more frequently than I ever have before. I used to use different tactics by slicing more [and] then going big on the second shot, but I've turned it around to some extent.While watching Federer, it can be easy to forget how much time and sweat he has put into becoming the greatest.Speaking of the greatest musicians in the world, Malcolm Gladwell said: Once a musician has enough ability to get into a top music school, the thing that distinguishes one performer from another is how hard he or she works. That's it. And what's more, the people at the very top don't work just harder or even much harder than everyone else. They work much, much harder.The same can be said of athletes like Federer. All we see is the man effortlessly gliding around the court, striking the ball with precision and grace. What we don’t see are the 10,000 hours of practice - the blood, sweat, and tears.Perhaps all of us owe Federer a word of thanks. It’s a privilege to watch him play.