35 years ago, you would be hard pressed to find somebody who did not use a one-handed backhand. Today, tennis viewers are shocked when somebody actually manages to use them effectively.
Even in the 1990s the one-hander still existed at the top of the game used by Steffi Graf and Pete Sampras. While both were renowned for their forehands over their backhands, they still demonstrated that the one-handed backhand actually complimented their their athleticism rather than slow them down. In fact, Graf’s unique knifing slice backhand forced opponents to get low which would set her up for a forehand blow.
Throughout the women’s game in particular, two-handed backhands are used almost exclusively. Justine Henin may turn out to be the last great player to use a one-handed backhand. Nevertheless Roberta Vinci and Carla Suarez Navarro have attained great success with one-handers.
The men’s game however includes many more examples of successful players with one-handed backhands. The main examples include 17-time slam winner Roger Federer, 2-time slam winner Stanislas Wawrinka. Other notable players are former slam semi-finalists and top 10 players such as Richard Gasquet, Tommy Haas, and Mikail Youzhny.
The recent weeks have also seen the rise of 22-year-old Austrian Dominic Thiem. While he has yet to have a breakthrough slam result, Thiem has recorded more consisted results winning in Buenos Aries and Acapulco and reaching the semis in Rio. These runs included wins over David Ferrer and Rafael Nadal.
As recently as last year, Wawrinka proved that a one-handed backhand when used effectively is still effective on the biggest stage of tennis. At Roland Garros he defeated world #1 Novak Djokovic to win his second grand slam title and ended the latter’s 28-match winning streak. The match finished with his trademark backhand down the line winner which summed up a magnificent performance. While he hit more forehand winners, it was his backhand that set them up.
Advantages and Disadvantages of a One-Handed Backhand
One-handers often have greater reach to balls that two-handers may just miss. When balls are lower to the ground, it is easier for a one-hander to hit a more powerful, finishing shot. In addition, one-handers adapt to muscle memory which allows them to use the backhand volley and slice much more effectively. Many of the greatest volleyers of all time have used one-handed backhands. Billie Jean King, Margaret Court, Stephan Edberg, Pete Sampras, Martina Navratilova, Justine Henin, Roger Federer and Amelie Mauresmo are just some of the names that come to mind.
One disadvantage is that one-handed backhands require great strength to execute effectively. Frailer players would rather have that extra hand there to drive through the ball. The one-hander also proves to be difficult when dealing with heavy topspin, explaining Rafael Nadal’s dominance over one-handed players, including Roger Federer. The difficulty behind a one-hander leads clubs to teach juniors two-handers instead. Nevertheless, the one-hander maintains a great influence in professional tennis.
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