Roger Federer was one of the last great players to wield a single-handed backhand, as the double-hander’s stranglehold intensified.

Stan Wawrinka kept that flag flying for years after Federer’s retirement, and while the likes of Stefanos Tsitsipas, Denis Shapovalov, and Lorenzo Musetti still wield it, there are precious few coming up behind them.

Ahead of this year’s US Open, one long stat remained. Namely, at least one player with a one-hander has reached a major semi-final in men’s singles every year since the first-ever Wimbledon in 1877.

Before 20-time major winner Federer played an exhibition at Arthur Ashe Stadium late last month, the Swiss expressed his hopes that the shot would live on.

He told reporters, “My coaches when I was growing up, I would say, were 90% one-handers. I think when your coach is a one-handed tennis player, you will be most likely a one-handed tennis player, too. Nowadays, the coaches are probably mostly double-handed players, and it’s just easier to teach a kid to have two hands on the backhand side.

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“Back in the day, I used to do 50/50 on volleys and net play and baseline game. Before my time, it was probably more like 80% net play and 20% baseline drills, but now it’s like 90/10 for the baseline.

“I still believe the one-handed backhand isn’t over,” before joking, “I’ll pass on my wisdom to Musetti.”

The Italian and Shapovalov fell in the second round in New York. That left everyone’s hopes with a certain Tsitsipas, who reached the fourth round at Flushing Meadows for the first time in his career.

Prior to his last-16 clash with Ben Shelton, the 28-year-old issued a rallying cry of sorts.

I’ve got a 150-year streak to save.

— Stefanos Tsitsipas (@stefanos) September 5, 2026

Unfortunately for the Greek, Shelton comfortably beat the unseeded player, winning 6-2, 6-3, 6-4 on Sunday night.

Prior to the tournament, Tsitsipas said the single-handed backhand is like a “dinosaur going extinct”. And Musetti said it was a consequence of the fact that two-handed backhands “offer an advantage in modern tennis”.

Federer admitted he was “hopeful” it was not the end of the shot. But with the way the game is going and how kids are predominantly taught to play with a two-hander as they tend to not have the strength to hit the shot with one hand, this shot will take a backseat in years to come.

Tennis just needs a few brave foot soldiers to be the next generation’s standard-bearers.

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