Tsitsipas laments the fall of the one-handed backhand as 149-year Grand Slam run ends
NEW YORK: Ben Shelton’s run to the US Open quarter-finals dealt a blow to tennis traditionalists on Sunday after his win over Stefanos Tsitsipas left the men’s draw without a one-handed backhand and ended a 149-year Grand Slam streak. The elegant stroke has steadily yielded ground to the two-handed shot in the modern power game and at least one practitioner had reached the men’s singles…
New York witnessed the end of a 149-year Grand Slam run and the fall of the one-handed backhand in men's tennis on Sunday. Ben Shelton's victory over Stefanos Tsitsipas propelled him into the US Open quarter-finals, marking a significant shift in the sport. The elegant stroke, once prevalent among players like John McEnroe, Ivan Lendl, Pete Sampras, Stefan Edberg, and Gustavo Kuerten, has been steadily replaced by the two-handed backhand.
Tsitsipas lamented the decline, noting that only 2-3% of players now wield the one-handed backhand, down from 97-98% in the 1950s. He attributed the change to the narrowing of styles in modern tennis, where players increasingly adhere to a single, uniform approach due to slower courts. Tsitsipas also observed a decline in the diversity of playing styles, with fewer serve-and-volleyers and counter-punchers on the court.
Despite the end of Tsitsipas' streak and the loss of the one-handed backhand, he emphasized that tennis will continue as it is, with the sport evolving naturally.
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