Decline of the One-Handed Backhand: A Tennis Tradition in Peril

Posted : 11 July 2024

When Stefanos Tsitsipas fell out of the world's top 10 in February this year, tennis enthusiasts lamented the decline of the one-handed backhand, once a hallmark of the sport. This iconic shot had propelled legends like Pete Sampras and Roger Federer to a combined 15 Wimbledon titles and was a key weapon for Stan Wawrinka in his three major victories.

Roger Federer expressed his dismay over the diminishing presence of one-handers in the top 10, calling it a "dagger" to the sport. Reflecting on this, Federer told GQ magazine, "I felt it. That one was personal. I didn't like that." The 20-time major champion noted that despite this trend, players like Sampras, Rod Laver, and himself held a special place for maintaining the tradition for as long as they did. Federer cherished seeing players such as Wawrinka, Richard Gasquet, and Tsitsipas continue to use the one-handed backhand, highlighting Dominic Thiem’s exceptional execution of the shot.

Currently, only two men in the top 20, Tsitsipas and Grigor Dimitrov, wield a one-handed backhand, with Dimitrov making a recent return to the top 10. The last Grand Slam victory by a player with this shot came from Thiem at the 2020 US Open, though his career has been hampered by wrist injuries, leading to his impending retirement.

There is renewed hope with Italy's Lorenzo Musetti, who reached the Wimbledon semifinals, reigniting the one-handed backhand's prominence. Musetti shared his natural affinity for the shot, saying, "No one taught it to me. It came naturally. When I picked up my first racquet, I played the one-handed backhand. I think I made the right choice."

Despite Musetti's success, many in the tennis world remain skeptical about a widespread return to the one-handed backhand. World No. 4 Alexander Zverev, who has used a two-handed backhand since age 10, believes the modern game favors the two-handed approach for its effectiveness. Zverev stated, "I think in the modern game, a double-handed backhand has more advantages.

It is maybe a less beautiful shot, as everybody says, but it is more effective." He argued that the increasing speed of the game makes it difficult to control a one-handed backhand against powerful shots from players like Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, thus reinforcing the trend towards the two-handed technique.

Decline of the One-Handed Backhand: A Tennis Tradition in Peril

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