The Most Beautiful Shot In Tennis

By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Sunday March 10, 2024

Indian Wells – Stefanos Tsitsipas is happy to join the chorus of voices that are showing support for the one-handed backhand. The 25-year-old Greek, a two-time Grand Slam finalist, talked lovingly about the one-hander, and vowed to do his best to restore the shot to glory.

“I do feel like it’s the most beautiful shot in tennis,” Tsitsipas, who defeated Frances Tiafoe 6-3, 6-3 to reach the round of 16 at Indian Wells on Sunday. “I do believe it’s the most difficult thing to learn in tennis, but of course it has its rewards as sort of creating opportunities, opening up the court. I think it’s a massive weapon for courts that have sort of a high response to the ball, especially clay courts, as well.

“I do find it a beautiful shot that also, if perfected in the right way, it can be a massive lethal weapon for those who feel confident hitting that shot.”

That said, Tsitsipas admits that the single-handed backhand, however beautiful, can be a difficult animal to tame.

“It’s a complex shot to master and to perfect, and it takes a lot of time to get to a point where you develop an amazing single-handed backhand, one that is a weapon,” he said.

“I also think that people have the tendency to choose the double-handed backhand [because of] the ease of it, how less complex it is to learn and how you can always support your left hand to close out certain shots or save certain shots that perhaps a single-handed backhand would slice instead.”

Athenian Artistry 🎨

Stefanos Tsitsipas with the @BMWUSA Play Of The Day 🎾 pic.twitter.com/JvUlSqQPFz

— BNP Paribas Open (@BNPPARIBASOPEN) March 11, 2024

Tsitsipas knows the one-hander has limitations, but he would never think about hitting a backhand any other way. And he truly believes his backhand gives him advantages that he can exploit.

“I do feel like it’s the most beautiful shot in tennis,” he said. “I do believe it’s the most difficult thing to learn in tennis, but of course it has its rewards; creating opportunities, opening up the court. I think it’s a massive weapon for courts that have a high response to the ball, especially clay courts, as well.

So I do find it a beautiful shot that also, if perfected in the right way, it can be a massive lethal weapon for those who feel confident hitting that shot.”

Tsitsipas says he’s proud to carry the one-hand flag, and he says he believes that just because there aren’t any in the Top 10 at…