"Novak Djokovic would be proud, or Kim Clijsters" - Matteo Arnaldi's splits during Vienna 2R loss to Andrey Rublev amazes tennis fans

Italy's Matteo Arnaldi made tennis fans reminisce about Novak Djokovic's signature sliding shots on Thursday (October 26).

Arnaldi, placed 46th in the ATP rankings, exited the 2023 Vienna Open in the second round, losing 5-7, 3-6 to third-seeded Andrey Rublev. The Italian, however, entertained tennis fans plenty with his impressive flexibility at certain junctures of the match.

A close-up video of the 22-year-old sliding to chase a ball subsequently went viral on social media. The tennis community was fascinated by Arnaldi's ability to extend his legs so far apart from one another.

Famous tennis journalist Jose Morgado, on his part, claimed that the likes of Novak Djokovic and Kim Clijsters would be proud of the Italian's sliding skills.

"Djokovic would be proud. Or Clijsters," Morgado wrote on his X (formerly Twitter) handle.

One fan also illustrated how Arnaldi's slide was similar to Djokovic's with a picture of the Serb performing splits with gymnast Nina Derwael during his stay at the Olympic Village during the 2020 Tokyo Games.

A screen capture of the fan's post on X (formerly Twitter)

Here are a few more reactions from social media:

Novak Djokovic is the master of sliding on the court

The Serb slides to chase down a shot at the 2020 Dubai Tennis Championships

Many fans would agree that if Novak Djokovic possesses a trademark shot, it is his sliding groundstrokes from either wing. The 24-time Major winner has arguably the best court coverage in tennis history. He has employed his flexibility and balance to great effect while defending from the baseline throughout his prime years.

The Serb began performing splits to get to balls during the 2010s, well before the younger generation used the tactic. Thanks to the evolution in tennis footwear, many players have now begun sliding into their shots for two reasons: to reach the ball quicker and to have a better positioning on the court after retrieving it.

Interestingly, the 36-year-old attributes his sliding skills to the practice of walking barefoot as a child.

"When I was a kid, my parents were encouraging the barefoot walking so it’s a combination of things have allowed me to have really good flexibility of ankles, which, in turn, contributes a great deal to the movement on the court and the sliding motion," he told The Guardian earlier this year.

Having said that, the Serb still feels that tennis players should approach the art of sliding with caution.

“If you don’t have very flexible ankles, if you have fragile ankles, then probably think twice if you want to go for an extreme movement like that,” he added.