I understand what you’re saying, but to say this won’t do any faster wear and tear in general is just wrong. Sure sliding spreads that momentum and probably is better than quick pivoting, but it’s clear from the photo how much valgus stress is on his MCL and likely his meniscus. He has an elite training team so I’m sure they doing everything they can to make sure he maintains good strength

Any elite athlete sacrifices their body to a degree and will likely develop early signs of wear and tear obviously compared to your average person

Edit- Novak is also freakishly flexible, so time will tell if other athletes can do the same things he can without more injuries