Is the single backhand still relevant in the modern game of tennis?

[tenniskiosk]

Hey there,
Over the years, i have noticed a drastic decrease in the number of players using the single backhand. Is it due to the fact that they will be disadvantaged if they were to use a single backhand? This has intrigued me as i found that there were 3 players with great single backhands that played in the World Tour final this year. So the question is whether the single backhand is still relevant in the modern game of tennis.

What are your thoughts?

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

There is good backhands, average backhands and bad ones. After watching the Nadal-Stan match at the WTF, I am totally convinced (once again) it does not matter if you play with a single or double hand. They both have advantages and disadvantages , but at the end of the day, it is either good enough, or not. There are hundreds of pro players who play with double handed backhands that wish they could have the single hand of Roger, Stan, Gasquet, Almagro...Conversely, a legion of single handed players wish they could have Nole's , Murray's or Nalbandien's double hander.

I don't think there is one person here who thinks Stan lost to Nadal last week because he has a single hander. In fact, that shot got him so many points...it was a major weapon.

I like the single hander more and I play single hander , but also all my favorites played with it, like Edberg, Sampras, Roger, Becker, Lendl etc...and I think it is more versatile, but like I said at the beginning, there is only good backhand and average ones, doesn't matter if it is a single or double hander.

 

[shawnbm]

Of course it is still relevant--some of the best players in history used it with tremendous success. Let me give an example--assume Rafael Nadal either was not playing or was right-handed and played exactly the same way; would Roger Federer still not be a dominant player, along with Stanislas, Richard and guys like Jerzy and Grigor? I think they would all still be dangerous and winning events. Looking at this analysis through the prism of the lefty Nadal FH to Roger BH is not the way to do it. Nadal is, in many ways, like kryptonite to Fed--more than Murray or Nole or Delpo or Safin or Hewitt or Agassi or anyone else. It is a unique and "irreproducible" match-up. It is not just that Rafa is a lefty, but his physicality, ability to run, hit with such spin and "hooking" nature that uniquely troubles Roger like no other before or since. That does not make the single hander irrelevant IMHO. Even Rafa, Nole, Andy and Tsonga use single handed BHs to slice the ball. One of these days a guy about 6' 5" or 6'6" tall with a crushing single handed BH may start pounding the daylights out of a similar plan of continuous "lefty hook FHs" by Rafa, but then maybe not. Not too many physically powerful guys with that kind of height opt for professional tennis.

 

[huntingyou]

Not at all, it's a matter of quality like murat said. In this era you could use an extreme grip and develop a heavy single hander that would be able to stand high balls while providing the versatility and grace of the 1HBH. I'm biased though, I use a 1HBH and although my strong wing it's the forehand.....my best shots most of the time come from my backhand. Can't match that feeling.........

 

[brokenshoelace]

It gives players an aesthetic edge...

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

It gives players an aesthetic edge...

:laydownlaughing:laydownlaughing

but which one????

:lolz:

 

[shawnbm]

It gives players an aesthetic edge...

I think "aesthetic" and all of its permutations should be nominated for the word or phrase of our board for 2013! LOL :lolz:

 

[Tennis Miller]

It gives players an aesthetic edge...

I think "aesthetic" and all of its permutations should be nominated for the word or phrase of our board for 2013! LOL :lolz:

If that happens, I will need an an-aesthetic.

Cheers

TM