For the first time in history: There will be no one-handed backhand at the upcoming ATP Finals

What had already been observed as a trend for some years will manifest itself in a practical way at the ATP Finals 2024 that will start tomorrow in the beautiful city of Turin. For the first time in history, the prestigious tournament that brings together the top 8 players will not have any tennis player hitting his backhand one-handed, signaling the decline of a shot that has been emblematic for the sport.

Why has the one-handed backhand fallen into decline?

The one-handed backhand has been historically admired for its aesthetics and elegance, giving an image of ease and fluidity at the moment of impacting the ball. Used by legends such as Roger Federer, Pete Sampras and Martina Navratilova, the stroke that at one time could put rivals in check soon found a new reality.

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Its use has drastically decreased in the professional circuit. Currently, only 4% of players in the top 25 use this stroke, which contrasts with past decades where it predominated. Several factors contribute to this decline:

• Power and speed of play: Contemporary tennis is characterized by an increase in the speed and power of strokes. Today's players are stronger and therefore hit the ball harder, which makes the two-handed backhand more effective in controlling those impacts.
• Ease of execution: The two-handed backhand offers greater stability and control, especially in tricky situations such as high serves or fast balls. This allows players to respond more confidently in such moments. In addition, it is of particular importance when hitting very high balls, such as on surfaces where the ball bounces upwards, like on clay.
• Adaptation to the modern game: The evolution of tennis towards a more physical and faster style has led many players to opt for the two-handed backhand, which allows them to play closer to the baseline and keep the initiative in the points.

This change not only affects current players, but also raises questions about the future of the sport. With the retirement of iconic figures who used this stroke, such as Richard Gasquet, Dominic Thiem or Federer himself, the outlook becomes uncertain for defenders of the one-handed backhand.

With Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov out of Turin, none of the 8 qualifiers to the Finals have this shot in their arsenal, and all indications are that it's a postcard of what we'll start to see from here on out.