One-Handed Backhand Era Ends After 149 Years at US Open

The 2026 US Open has marked a somber milestone for tennis traditionalists, as the elimination of Stefanos Tsitsipas in the fourth round officially ended a 149-year streak. For the first time since the inception of Grand Slam tennis at Wimbledon in 1877, no male player utilizing a one-handed backhand will feature in a major semi-final during a single season. The defeat of the Greek star by American Ben Shelton at Arthur Ashe Stadium served as the final blow to a legacy that has defined the sport for over a century.

This decline reflects a broader transformation in professional tennis, where the one-handed backhand has transitioned from the standard technical choice to a rare stylistic outlier. While legends such as Roger Federer, Pete Sampras, and Gustavo Kuerten once dominated the tour with the elegant stroke, modern players increasingly favor the two-handed backhand for its efficiency and stability against the high-velocity serves and baseline power that characterize the contemporary game. The shift has left the one-handed backhand occupying a precarious position, with practitioners now representing only a small fraction of the professional field.

The one-handed backhand was once the default technical foundation for tennis players, necessitated by the use of wooden rackets that required a specific, fluid motion to generate power and control. As the sport evolved, the two-handed backhand emerged as a more reliable tool for handling the increased pace of modern play. Statistical data illustrates this decline starkly: in 1905, 16 players reached Grand Slam semi-finals using a one-handed backhand. By 2005, that figure had dropped to five, and in the current season, it has reached zero.

Stefanos Tsitsipas, who has been a vocal advocate for the preservation of the stroke, noted the dramatic shift in demographics. "Every single decade, we’re decreasing. We’re like dinosaurs going extinct," Tsitsipas remarked following his second-round victory earlier in the tournament. The Greek player, a two-time major finalist, highlighted that the current percentage of one-handed backhanders in the professional ranks has dwindled to approximately 2-3%, a massive reduction from the near-universal usage seen in the mid-20th century.

For many players, the decision to abandon the one-handed backhand is purely pragmatic. Lorenzo Musetti, the highest-ranked male player currently employing the stroke, acknowledged that the two-handed backhand offers a distinct competitive advantage in the modern era. "I think it is partly a consequence of the fact that, realistically, the two-handed backhand offers an advantage in modern tennis," Musetti stated. Despite his own success with the one-handed shot, he admitted that the speed of the modern game makes the two-handed alternative more efficient for returning serves and maintaining baseline rallies.

Roger Federer, perhaps the most iconic practitioner of the one-handed backhand in history, pointed to the role of coaching in this generational shift. "I think when your coach is a one-handed tennis player, you will most likely be a one-handed tennis player too," Federer observed. He noted that because most modern coaches are themselves products of the two-handed era, they find it easier to teach the two-handed technique to young students. Federer added that he has personally observed the difficulty his own children face when attempting to master the one-handed stroke, reinforcing the idea that the technique is becoming increasingly difficult to sustain at an elite level.

Beyond the technical mechanics of the backhand, Tsitsipas argued that the decline of the stroke is symptomatic of a broader homogenization of tennis styles. He suggested that the sport has lost much of its tactical diversity, with slower court surfaces and a focus on baseline power leading to a uniform approach among top-tier competitors. "Tennis used to be played with so many different variations of style and that variation has narrowed to one particular style these days, where everyone is playing the same," Tsitsipas said. He lamented the loss of distinct archetypes, such as serve-and-volley specialists and varied counter-punchers, which once added layers of intrigue to the sport.

While some players, like France's Diane Parry, continue to experiment with hybrid approaches—using a two-handed backhand for returns and a one-handed stroke during rallies—these remain exceptions rather than the rule. Denis Shapovalov, another prominent one-handed exponent, continues to advocate for the stroke's ability to create superior angles on the court. However, the collective evidence from the 2026 season suggests that the one-handed backhand is struggling to remain viable as a primary weapon for those aspiring to reach the final stages of Grand Slam tournaments.

Despite the end of the 149-year streak, the one-handed backhand is unlikely to disappear entirely from the sport. Players like Musetti have expressed a desire to keep the tradition alive, stating that they would still teach the stroke to future generations for its aesthetic beauty and unique tactical possibilities. "Aesthetically, yes, I would teach it. I would love for my son, or perhaps a player I coach in the future, to have a one-handed backhand," Musetti said. The challenge remains in balancing this desire for tradition with the harsh realities of professional efficiency.

As the tennis world moves forward, the absence of a one-handed backhand in the final four of a major tournament will likely serve as a catalyst for further debate regarding the evolution of the sport. While Tsitsipas noted that "it’s not the end of the world" if the stroke fades, the loss of such a historic element marks a definitive turning point. The 2026 season will be remembered as the year the sport officially transitioned into a new era, leaving behind a tradition that had survived for nearly a century and a half.