I must say, I found Gionis's chop to be more spectacular. When most choppers (including Joo) chop the chops start getting higher and higher. With Gionis, though, they're low and long and sneak in right over the net.

Is there anyone that twiddles and chops? Who can chop from either side with long pips OR inverted, AND loop from either side with inverted? If someone of Joo's caliber could master this it would be deadly.

Iskandar

Easy answer.

His offense.

I'd argue it's more his incredible consistency on both wings.. he can chop back insane loops, even out of position, and hit it cleeaaner than any other chopper out there today

Joo's offense is world class, mos def, but I don't think it's necessarily better than other good choppers, especially choppers who only use their FH for attack like Weixing or Gionis

I think Joo's offense -- mainly his forehand -- is far stronger than Weixing or Guionis because unlike the others he is very happy to step around and attack with his forehand on balls that are quite far to the backhand side -- just like any other elite offensive player. He seems to be able to transition from chopping to attack far more readily and rapidly than any defender in history, and he does it routinely on balls that the others would almost never attack.

I suspect it is Korean footwork drills, the same kind of thing that allowed Ryu Seung-Min and before him Kim Taek Soo to cover so much space with their forehands (remember both those guys had traditional penhold backhands and were pretty limited as to what they could do offensively from the BH side with that stroke, just as JSH is with his LP). It means that JSH can also cover a lot of space with just his FH when attacking. I believe that JSH has better attacking footwork than any defender ever -- and a lot of elite offensive players too. Of course, all three of these guys are steady as a rock chopping back insane loops. It is like watching someone walk a tightrope sometimes. Amazing for sure. It is possible that JSH is better at that ALSO than the other guys. But the thing that really stands out to me is how much more JSH looks to attack. And I think that is why JSH in his prime accomplished more than those other guys did.

Feel like I should point out that Weixing has insane step-arounds and an extremely powerful forehand attack. Far more explosive than Joo and attacks at least as often, namely because he doesn't chop on the forehand. Joo is for sure a more skilled player than Gionis and probably does have a better FH attack, but you're making a point that Joo 'looks to attack' more often, and that's just not the case, because the ONLY thing Weixing and Gionis do on their FH is attack, lol

But yeah you made some good points for sure, interesting thought on the Korean footwork drills influencing his play

It's true Gionis and Weixing attack far more often with their FH, but at least in case of Weixing his FH isn't so penetrating like the one of Joo. It's more based on insane spin than on insane speed.

Maybe the polyvalence of Joo's FH also makes Joo the better defender overall?

Not sure which of Weixings matches you've been watching.. but the dude has a crazy penetrating drive. Yeah he spins up balls as well, but when he attacks he often blasts the ball. More of a hardcore Chinese FH drive than the loop-drive of Joo

I'm still not convinced, Bizzoss. Do you want to give an example?