Roger Federer – “Single-Hand Backhand is Not a Dying Breed”

Roger Federer’s single-hand backhand seems to be effortless during the tennis matches, and his backhand stroke is considered to be one of the beautiful shots which tennis has. His signature backhand shot serves as an offensive and defensive weapon and it neutralizes the powerful shots from his opponents and it ensures a good depth while Roger Federer is returning. 

Roger Federer is delighted to see that the versatile backhand stroke has been picked up by the new era players on the men’s tour. “It’s good to see. I’m happy, very happy. Dominic and then two guys, I wonder if there are other guys in the tournament still. But Mayer, for instance, yes. It’s nice that it’s not a dying breed because Stefanos will be around for a long time. So will be Dominic. And that will inspire a new generation,” Roger Federer said.

During the initial years of Open Era, the shot was practiced by numerous tennis players. In the year 2014, The New York Times Magazine came up with an article, “The Death of the One-Handed Backhand” and at that time only 24 one-handers were present inside the men’s Top 100 rankings, and in the year 1999, there were more than 40 players using the single-hand backhands.

And now, one-handers such as Roger Federer, Stan Wawrinka, and Richard Gasquet might hang their boots in the near future of the sport, but the new era contenders are practicing the single-hand backhand and preventing it from getting obsolete.

“I think at the end of the day, how do you say, some people, it just feels better to hit one-handed. You feel more free by hitting with the one hand. I always felt locked up if I even nowadays try to hit a double-hander. It doesn’t feel good, you know, in the chest, in the body, the arm, everything feels wrong about it”, Roger Federer continued.

Like other parents and coaches, Roger Federer feels that kids must start with two-handed version since it easy and simple also he wouldn’t want any of his four children to take it up. Dominic Thiem, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Denis Shapovalov began with a two-handed backhand, but in the midst of evolving their game, they embraced the single-hand backhand. And it would preserve the essence of the shot in the game’s future. 

“It’s nice that there are still guys doing it, and I think it will always be that way. But I think the majority will be double-handed backhands, just because I think it’s, with the heavy racquets and all that stuff, in the beginning, you start with two hands. Everybody does. And sometimes you just don’t ever let it go, because it feels natural to keep your two hands on the grip,” Roger Federer mentioned.

The seven-time Grand Slam champion, Justine Henin-Hardenne from Belgium was considered to have “the best single-handed backhand in both the women’s or men’s game”.