More than a year after his retirement, Roger Federer remains the poster boy for tennis’ most aesthetically pleasing one-handed backhand. But it may also be the key to his downfall.
When the ATP rankings were updated on Monday, there was no one in the world’s top 10 alone for the first time since the list was inaugurated in 1973.
This shift represents a victory for the modern power-base style of tennis rather than all-court finesse or precise play. Some of the reasons are systemic, such as changing racquet technology. Others are more personal, like Federer’s struggles at the hands of Rafael Nadal (two).
“You go back to the period between 2003 and 2004 and Roger was so dominant,” says England manager Calvin Betton. “But then Rafa came in and started hitting big, high-bouncing balls onto Federer’s backhand. “Rafa’s rise to the top of the competition has created a stigma for soloists.”
Admittedly, Federer made an upgrade to his backhand late in his career and won six of his last seven meetings with Nadal, tipping the overall balance back a bit. (The score card ended 24-16 in Nadal’s favor.)
But the damage had already been done. The image of Federer swinging with shoulder-high backhands, especially on the high bouncing surface of Roland Garros, was deeply embedded in the sporting consciousness.
Nadal’s dominance over Federer lasted more than a decade, from 2005 to 2016, and represented a broader style shift within the game. This was the period when natural gut strings were being phased out by polyester. Here’s tennis’ answer to the Roland synthesizer, which forced traditional pianos out of recording studios throughout the 1980s.
Polyester strings last longer, provide more spin, and give you more power. But on the downside, they offer less sensation than natural alternatives.
If there is one player who embodies the mechanical style of polyester tennis, it is reigning Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner, who went from 12 to 12 in this year’s matches in Rotterdam on Sunday. Possessing a punishing two-hander, Sinner is technically sound and relentlessly powerful, but has so little touch he could almost be playing with oven mitts. This is the modern way, for better or worse.
Nearly running out of a one-handed backhand represents a scary scenario. While Sinner’s physical explosiveness makes it a fun watch, no viewer wants monotony. A day on Wimbledon Center Court could be the sport’s answer to Attack of the Clones.
Barring the rise of a dominant one-handed player to emulate Federer’s achievements, this narrative is unlikely to shift in the opposite direction. One reason for this is the increasing importance given to success at a young age.
Promising players are selected by management agencies and national associations while they are in their teens or younger. However, it is difficult to swing with one arm when you are not physically developed; That’s why Pete Sampras didn’t transition until he was 14. As a coach, you’re taking a risk by teaching this increasingly old-fashioned shot. We hold out hope that once a player gains strength in the next few years, all will be well.
Seeing a photogenic one-handed player in full flow is one of tennis’ great pleasures. The seductive beauty of Richard Gasquet’s solo shot earned him the nickname “Le Petit Mozart”; This was the ultimate backhanded compliment.
Recent years have seen one-handed masters knock out Novak Djokovic in two of the most spectacular performances on the ATP Tour. Think Stan Wawrinka in the 2015 French Open final and Dominic Thiem in the 2020 ATP Finals. On both occasions, Djokovic saw backhand winners fly past him from all directions.
But on the whole, Djokovic has won more than most of these fights. The owner of the most reliable two-hander in history, he is also building a tough case to be considered the best overall player. This is just one of the reasons why modern coaches think the one-handed ship has sailed.
“At its best, one-handed provides more spin and more power than two-handed,” Betton said. “But to hit like that you need a big upper body like Wawrinka or Thiem. These guys can attack from the backhand side and hit winners from behind the baseline. They can use their strengths to catch up with the tempo of the modern game and create their own games. But in general, it is more common to see one-handed people being bullied.
“I would like to say that the new generation of one-handers at the Challenger level are on the rise [the next tier down from the ATP Tour] but I can’t see it. The only exception is the 1.80m tall French boy named Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, who has the same strong physique I mentioned earlier. Otherwise, the one-handed person is swimming against the current.”