A 150-year Grand Slam tradition is on Stefanos Tsitsipas’ shoulders as the last one-handed backhand left

Stefanos Tsitsipas has reached the fourth round of the US Open for the first time, but his run in New York carries significance beyond his own title hopes. The Greek is now the last player in the draw with a one-handed backhand, putting him in position to carry one of tennis's oldest traditions into the second week.

Tsitsipas opened his campaign by defeating Arthur Fils before overcoming Lloyd Harris and Jiri Lehecka to reach the last 16. The former world No. 3 is now three wins from the final, but he is also playing for something bigger than his own run.

At least one player with a one-handed backhand has reached the semifinals of a Grand Slam every year since 1877. That 150-year tradition has survived the sport's evolution and the rise of the two-handed backhand, but it is now under serious threat.

With no other one-hander left in the US Open draw, Tsitsipas is the only player who can extend the streak in 2026. Reaching the semifinals would keep the tradition alive for another year, while an earlier exit would bring the remarkable sequence to an end.

Tsitsipas has embraced the unusual responsibility. After reaching the fourth round, he acknowledged the significance of his position on X, writing:

“I have a 150-year streak to preserve.”

The one-handed backhand dominated tennis for much of its early history before the two-hander began gaining ground. Players such as Jimmy Connors and Björn Borg helped popularise it in the 1970s, alongside Chris Evert on the women's tour, as its stability and power became increasingly valuable in baseline tennis.

The shift continued through the 1980s and 1990s, with Boris Becker, Mats Wilander, Andre Agassi and Jim Courier among the leading two-handed backhand players. As the stroke became increasingly dominant, the one-hander survived through a smaller group of elite players who continued to carry it deep into Grand Slam tournaments.

Roger Federer eventually became the greatest modern representative of the one-handed backhand. The Swiss continued to reach Grand Slam semifinals and finals deep into his career, with his last major semifinal coming at the 2020 Australian Open. His longevity at the top ensured that the traditional stroke remained visible on the sport's biggest stages even as the two-hander became overwhelmingly common.

Tsitsipas subsequently became one of the players carrying that legacy forward. The Greek reached at least semifinals in Grand Slam tournaments between 2021 and 2023, keeping a one-handed backhand represented in the latter stages of the majors. Lorenzo Musetti then continued the sequence by reaching Grand Slam semifinals in both 2024 (Wimbledon) and 2025 (French Open).

The situation looked considerably more uncertain heading into the final Grand Slam of 2026. Musetti missed a significant part of the season through injury, while Denis Shapovalov's form had been inconsistent. Grigor Dimitrov was eliminated before the second week, and Stan Wawrinka is approaching the end of his professional career. With those names gone, Tsitsipas is the final representative of the stroke left in New York.

Standing in Tsitsipas' way is Ben Shelton, the No. 8 seed and one of the most dangerous opponents remaining in the tournament. The American's huge serve, explosive movement and left-handed attacking game make him particularly difficult to contain on a hard court, meaning Tsitsipas will need to overcome a serious sporting challenge before he can even think about extending the historic sequence.

The potential quarterfinal would bring another enormous obstacle, with Carlos Alcaraz or Tommy Paul waiting on the other side of the section. Tsitsipas therefore faces a difficult route if he is to reach the semifinals, and the historical significance of his run does not make the tennis itself any easier.

Yet that is precisely what makes his position so unusual. The one-handed backhand was once the standard technique of the sport, but Tsitsipas now finds himself as its final representative in a Grand Slam draw dominated by two-handed backhands. If he reaches the semifinals, the tradition will survive for another year. If he falls short, 2026 could become the first year in the 150-year history of the sport without a one-handed backhand player reaching the last four of a Grand Slam.

For now, Tsitsipas knows exactly what is at stake. “I have a 150-year streak to preserve.”