Stefanos Tsitsipas Laments Decline of One-Handed Backhand in Modern Tennis After US Open Exit: “It’d Be a Shame to Lose a Shot Like That”

Stefanos Tsitsipas‘ run at the 2026 US Open ended in the fourth round. On Sunday (September 6), home favorite Ben Shelton cruised past him with a 6-2, 6-3, 6-4 scoreline, with his defeat ending a certain 149-year Grand Slam streak. With the Greek ace’s exit, there’s no practitioner of the one-handed backhand left in the men’s draw now.

Since Wimbledon 1877, at least one practitioner of this shot had reached the men’s semifinal at a Major every year. Denis Shapovalov also incorporates this traditional shot during his matches, but his US Open run too ended at the hands of Shelton in the third round.

It’s not a matter of me having an opinion on it. I think it’s a fact; I’m just stating the obvious. It’s a shot that is disappearing, and it would be disastrous for it to do so. If you compare it to the 50s or 60s, there’s a huge decline in the use of the one-handed backhand. I think I looked at it recently, and in the 50s, around 97% or 98% of players used a one-handed backhand. Now we’re practically at 2% or 3%. The situation has completely reversed.

Stefanos Tsitsipas said at the press conference after his exit (H/T: Punto de Break)

Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka (he will retire at the end of his season) are the two modern greats of the game who practiced this shot. Grigor Dimitrov and Lorenzo Musetti are other current players who bring out this shot during matches.

Tennis will always be tennis. It doesn’t matter if there are players with one-handed or two-handed backhands; it really doesn’t matter. If the circuit is dominated by two-handed backhand players, that’s also fine. I just think it’s a classic shot, very traditional, and it would be a shame to lose a shot like that. Can something be done to prevent it? I suppose so. Is it the end of the world if no one plays with a one-handed backhand? No. Tennis will continue as it is.

Stefanos Tsitsipas added

Before losing to home favorite Shelton, the two-time Grand Slam finalist beat Arthur Fils, Lloyd Harris, and Jiri Lehecka in four sets. He has so far won one title this season, at the ATP 250 Swiss Open Gstaad, by defeating Raphael Collignon, winning his first title since the 2025 Dubai Tennis Championships.

Ben Shelton scheduled his quarterfinal match against Carlos Alcaraz after beating Stefanos Tsitsipas

Ben Shelton tied the head-to-head record against Stefanos Tsitsipas to 1-1 after their US Open clash. The American ace reached the quarterfinal of a Major for the second time this season, following the Australian Open.

It was, however, the first time the Greek ace reached the fourth round of a Major since his run to the quarterfinal at the 2024 French Open. Tsitsipas, in fact, had failed to reach the third round of Majors since that French Open.

Had Tsitsipas defeated Shelton, he would have faced none other than defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the semifinals. Shelton is amazed at the level Alcaraz is playing at after returning to the tour following a long injury hiatus.

We practiced together before the tournament. I’ve been watching his matches. I think he’s playing extremely high level. To me, he looks very normal, which is impressive after not playing for five months. And I think it’ll be a great match. I’m excited for the battle.

Ben Shelton said at the press conference

Alcaraz cruised past home favorite Tommy Paul in the fourth round and inched closer to his third title at Flushing Meadows. He holds a 3-0 head-to-head lead over Shelton, last beating him at the 2025 French Open.

Also read: Coco Gauff Warns of Tennis Parity After Three American Exits at the US Open