Welcome to the Prodigy Maker Show, where we talk about everything related to tennis and tennis players. In this episode, Chris will discuss the positives and negatives of the one-handed backhand, answer audience questions, and talk about how fewer top pros are using a one-handed backhand in the top 100 WTA and ATP tours.
The one-handed backhand is a beautiful stroke that has been used by some of the greatest players in the game. However, in recent years, there has been a decline in the use of the one-handed backhand, particularly among top pros.
Firstly, let’s look at how many female players in the top 100 currently use a one-handed backhand. Surprisingly, only four women currently use a one-handed backhand in the top 100. In contrast, the two-handed backhand is the preferred shot among female players, with 85% of the top 100 using this technique.
When we look at the men’s game, the numbers are a bit more balanced. Currently, 38 players in the top 100 use a one-handed backhand, while 62 players use a two-handed backhand. The one-handed backhand is still a prevalent shot among male players, but the trend is moving toward the two-handed backhand.
One of the reasons for this trend is the weakness of the one-handed backhand compared to the two-handed backhand. Two-handed backhands offer more stability, power, and consistency, which is why more players are choosing this shot.
There are also biomechanical and physiological differences between one-handed and two-handed backhands. The two-handed backhand also offers greater control due to the additional contact point, while the one-handed backhand offers greater reach. However, there are still some advantages to the one-handed backhand. The one-handed backhand is also more aesthetically pleasing and can be a weapon on faster courts.
KEYNOTES:
- How many female players in the top 100 currently use a one-handed backhand? You may be shocked!
- How many male players in the top 100 currently use a one-handed backhand?
- Tsitsipas’s weak one-hander versus Djokovic’s strong two-hander
- The primary advantages of the two-handed backhand over the one-hander
- Important biomechanical and physiological differences between the one and two-handed backhands
- Modern one-handed grip structure
- The primary reasons that the one-hander is less and less effective on the pro tour
- Myths about the advantages of the one-handed backhand
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