Stefanos Tsitsipas believes the one-handed backhand is fading away as the Greek’s wonderful tournament at the US Open came to an end.

The former Australian Open champion lost to Ben Shelton in the fourth round of the US Open in a 6-2 6-3 6-4 defeat.

It’s still been a good tournament for Tsitsipas who defeated Arthur Fils, Lloyd Harris and Jiri Lehecka on his way to the last 16.

After his defeat Tsitsipas praised Shelton’s performance as the American will now face Carlos Alcaraz in the quarter-finals, “Well, he has a lot of spins and slices. He’s difficult to predict. That was something that was very difficult to deal with today,” Tsitsipas said in his post-match press conference.

“It can kind of come from anywhere with any kind of spin. He’s a very good server. He knows how to use his left hand very smart. It was difficult having to deal with most of his serves. I’ve played him in the past. He has improved, certainly. It was a very different dynamic of the match than last time.

“He played better than me, so he deserves the victory.”

Tsitsipas will take the positives from the defeat as he looks to end the season strong and take momentum into 2027.

The defeat yesterday meant that there is no player left in the draw who has a one-handed backhand.

Reflecting on the art of the one-handed backhand Tsitsipas believes the one-handed backhand is dying, “It’s not me having feelings. I think it’s a fact. I’m stating the obvious,” Tsitsipas claimed.

“If you compare to the 1950s or 1960s, you see a massive decline on the one-handed backhand. I think I took a look, the 1950s, I think 97% or 98% of players were playing one-handed backhand. It’s literally like 2% now, the 3%. So it has reverted the other way around of what it used to be.

“Look, tennis will always be tennis. Regardless of whether there are single-handers out there or double, it doesn’t really matter. If the tour is dominated by double-handed backhands, it doesn’t really matter. It’s just that I feel it’s such a traditional classic shot, that it’s such a shame to lose a shot like that.

“Is there something you can do about it? I guess yes. Is it the end of the world if no one plays a one-handed backhand? No. Tennis still goes on the way it is.the end of the world if no one plays a one-handed backhand?

“No. Tennis still goes on the way it is.”

Elaborating on that point the one-handed backhand fading into obscurity, Tsitsipas believes tennis now lacks variety and personalities as a result.

”I feel like tennis used to have a lot of personalities, a lot of different personalities back in the day,” Tsitsipas acknowledged.

“We still have personalities, like even the young guys today. They differ from each other, they have their own style, they have their own way of hitting the ball. I feel like tennis used to be played with so many different variations of style, and that variation of style has narrowed to one particular style these days where everyone is kind of playing the same. You know, courts have become slower.

“Everyone is revolving around kind of the same game. You don’t see many personalities on the court in regards of we used to have the serve-and-volley players back in the day. We used to have those that used to play a specific different way, counter-punchers, defenders. Now it’s narrowed to one style of game. I think that’s what makes tennis so interesting and what used to make it so interesting is because you had those that played a specific way and others that played another way.

“It’s kind of the same with the one-handed backhand. Very similar.”