Overview
- Ben Shelton beat Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-2, 6-3, 6-4 in the US Open fourth round on Sunday, a result that left no man using a one-handed backhand in the men's draw and ended a continuous streak of one-handers reaching Grand Slam semifinals that began with Wimbledon in 1877.
- Players and coaches attribute the decline to specific, measurable factors: the two-handed backhand gives more defensive stability in long baseline rallies, modern rackets and heavier balls alter ball flight, and many coaches now teach the two-hander as the default.
- Stefanos Tsitsipas and other one-handed exponents reacted emotionally, with Tsitsipas citing steep historical decline and urging fans with a brief #Keeponehanderalive effort while acknowledging tennis will continue without the stroke.
- Statistical context underscores the shift: reporting shows about 19 one-handed backhand players in the ATP top-300 in 2026 versus roughly 62 across ATP/Challenger levels in 2013, and the last man to win a major with a one-hander was Dominic Thiem in 2020.
- The practical implication is clear for the game: a rapid reversal would likely require changes in junior coaching, equipment or court conditions, and fans stand to lose a stylistic element that many players describe as both difficult to master and visually distinctive.