Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (or ADF as he will surely come to be called) may just have invented a new tennis shot: the “holley,” or “hotdog volley.”
On his way to defeating the last remaining Briton at the US Open, Cameron Norrie, in four sets in their delayed second round match, he produced a reaction volley that was so astonishing that it almost needs to be seen twice (At least!) to appreciate it fully. The match was on an outside court, so there appears to be no reverse camera angle to fully establish whether he did indeed play the ball between his legs, but he certainly appeared to–and sometimes that is close enough. Regardless, it was remarkable.
With that one shot, the former junior Wimbledon champion (2017) showed that he has incredible flair and invention, because it was genuinely a shot worthy of Pietrangeli, McEnroe, or Federer, the Holy Trinity of artistic tennis, at least on the men’s side of the game. ADF progresses to face FAA (Felix Auger-Aliassime) in the third round. The match should be not only a clash of initials, but a sumptuous game of tennis. The only shame is that there were no fans there to see this fabulous piece of play. Thanks to the wonders of 21st century digital technology, though, it can truly be the shot seen around the world.
Watch the insane volley:
from "LOOK OUT" to 😱
How in the world did Alejandro Davidovich Fokina make that shot?! #USOpen pic.twitter.com/agpIrZk2Gm
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 4, 2020
And a side angle, in GIF form:
Davidovich Fokina #USOpen (🎥@Eurosport_RU ) pic.twitter.com/s2WeyLMLyk
— doublefault28 (@doublefault28) September 4, 2020
Main Photo:
Embed from Getty Images
