By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Sunday March 10, 2024
Indian Wells – Stefanos Tsitsipas is completely satisfied to affix the refrain of voices which might be exhibiting assist for the one-handed backhand. The 25-year-old Greek, a two-time Grand Slam finalist, talked lovingly concerning the one-hander, and vowed to do his greatest to revive the shot to glory.
“I do really feel prefer it’s essentially the most lovely shot in tennis,” Tsitsipas, who defeated Frances Tiafoe 6-3, 6-3 to succeed in the spherical of 16 at Indian Wells on Sunday. “I do consider it is essentially the most troublesome factor to study in tennis, however after all it has its rewards as kind of creating alternatives, opening up the courtroom. I feel it is a huge weapon for courts which have kind of a excessive response to the ball, particularly clay courts, as effectively.
“I do discover it a gorgeous shot that additionally, if perfected in the appropriate means, it may be a large deadly weapon for many who really feel assured hitting that shot.”
That mentioned, Tsitsipas admits that the single-handed backhand, nonetheless lovely, could be a troublesome animal to tame.
“It is a advanced shot to grasp and to good, and it takes plenty of time to get to a degree the place you develop an incredible single-handed backhand, one that could be a weapon,” he mentioned.
“I additionally assume that individuals have the tendency to decide on the double-handed backhand [because of] the benefit of it, how much less advanced it’s to study and how one can at all times assist your left hand to shut out sure photographs or save sure photographs that maybe a single-handed backhand would slice as an alternative.”
Athenian Artistry 🎨
Stefanos Tsitsipas with the @BMWUSA Play Of The Day 🎾 pic.twitter.com/JvUlSqQPFz
— BNP Paribas Open (@BNPPARIBASOPEN) March 11, 2024
Tsitsipas is aware of the one-hander has limitations, however he would by no means take into consideration hitting a backhand every other means. And he actually believes his backhand offers him benefits that he can exploit.
“I do really feel prefer it’s essentially the most lovely shot in tennis,” he mentioned. “I do consider it is essentially the most troublesome factor to study in tennis, however after all it has its rewards; creating alternatives, opening up the courtroom. I feel it is a huge weapon for courts which have a excessive response to the ball, particularly clay courts, as effectively.
So I do discover it a gorgeous shot that additionally, if perfected in the appropriate means, it may be a large deadly weapon for many who really feel assured hitting that shot.”
Tsitsipas says he’s proud to hold the one-hand flag, and he says he believes that simply because there aren’t any within the High 10 in the intervening time doesn’t imply that it gained’t be a shot that’s as soon as once more employed by a Grand Slam champion – possibly even him.
Backhand do Tsitsipas conforme pediram. pic.twitter.com/Bv3zukTbJX
— Mundo Do Tênis 🎾 (@mundodotenispod) March 2, 2024
“I really feel like I’m a part of the gamers that stick with it the legacy of the single-handed backhand. If it was not for me, if it was not for Grigor (Dimitrov), if it was not for Lorenzo (Musetti), if it was not for Richard (Gasquet), this shot would barely be seen on the tour.
“Sure, it is an old-school shot, one thing that individuals used to play again within the day, however it has its modernity today. It has developed into a contemporary shot that appears means completely different than it was lots of of years in the past.
“I do consider that extra youngsters sooner or later would positively resolve to pursue a single-handed backhand and we’d see that at large ranges once more, even perhaps plenty of gamers taking part in it inside the highest 10 quickly.”
