A Shock to the One-Handed Backhand…

The one-handed backhand is widely regarded as one of tennis’ most elegant and technically demanding shots. Legends such as John McEnroe, Ivan Lendl, Pete Sampras, Stefan Edberg and Gustavo Kuerten showcased it during earlier eras, followed by Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka. In the current generation, players such as Denis Shapovalov and Stefanos Tsitsipas have kept the shot alive. However, the one-handed backhand has gradually lost prominence as the two-handed backhand has become increasingly dominant in modern tennis.

That decline was reflected at the US Open, where Tsitsipas’ exit brought a remarkable streak to an end. Tsitsipas lost to Ben Shelton in the pre-quarterfinals. As a result, the 149-year streak dating back to Wimbledon in 1877, in which at least one player with a one-handed backhand reached the men’s singles semifinals at a Grand Slam every year, has been broken. With no such player reaching the semifinals this time, a long-standing chapter in tennis history has come to an end.