Tsitsipas mourns the loss of the one-handed backhand: "Everyone plays the same"

Stefanos Tsitsipas saw his dream of continued progress at the 2026 US Open cut short at its roots. The Greek can be satisfied with the tournament he had, arriving with no expectations, but his defeat against Ben Shelton has historical implications, such as the broken streak regarding the one-handed backhand, which made him reflect with a distinctly pessimistic tone in the press conference.

After proclaiming himself the possible savior of the one-handed backhand, Stefanos Tsitsipas was clearly surpassed by a Ben Shelton who showed no mercy and highlighted the great form he is in. The Greek player offered interesting reflections in the press conference of the 2026 US Open about this shot, but also about the homogenization of tennis in terms of styles and personalities.

This is what Stefanos Tsitsipas said after being eliminated at the 2026 US Open

Tsitsipas acknowledges Shelton's superiority

"His serve has many different spins, so it’s hard to predict where it’s going to come from. That was precisely what I found most difficult to manage today. He can serve from anywhere and with any type of spin."

"He’s a great server and knows how to use his left hand in a very smart way. It was difficult to deal with most of his serves."

"I had played against him before and, since then, he has improved. The match had a very different dynamic compared to the last time we faced each other. Today he was better than me, and he deserves the victory."

Tsitsipas' dismay over the extinction danger of the one-handed backhand

"It’s not a matter of me having an opinion on it. I think it’s a fact; I’m just stating the obvious. It’s a shot that is disappearing, and it would be disastrous for it to do so."

"If you compare it to the 50s or 60s, there’s a huge decline in the use of the one-handed backhand. I think I looked at it recently, and in the 50s, around 97% or 98% of players used a one-handed backhand. Now we’re practically at 2% or 3%. The situation has completely reversed."

"Tennis will always be tennis. It doesn’t matter if there are players with one-handed or two-handed backhands; it really doesn’t matter. If the circuit is dominated by two-handed backhand players, that’s also fine. I just think it’s a classic shot, very traditional, and it would be a shame to lose a shot like that."

"Can something be done to prevent it? I suppose so. Is it the end of the world if no one plays with a one-handed backhand? No. Tennis will continue as it is."

Tsitsipas denounces the lack of variety in styles and personalities in tennis

"I think tennis used to have a lot of different personalities and styles. Today we also have players with personality, even among the young ones. They are different from each other, have their own style and way of hitting the ball."

"But before, tennis was played with a huge variety of styles, and that diversity has been reduced to a single pattern. Now everyone plays more or less the same way. The courts have become slower, and everyone revolves around a similar type of game."

"You no longer see as many personalities on the court. Before, we had serve-and-volley players, players who approached matches in a completely different way, counter-attack specialists, or great defenders."

"Now everything has been reduced to a single playing style. I think that’s precisely what made tennis so interesting: that some players had a very specific way of playing and others used a completely different one. The same thing happens with the one-handed backhand. It's exactly the same situation."

Positive assessment by Tsitsipas of his US Open

It feels like the Greek can interpret this 2026 US Open as a turning point in his career, having reconnected with good feelings and accepting that it may be the start of an even greater sports resurgence.

"It’s a very nice feeling to be back at the forefront of a major tournament. Regardless of today’s loss, it’s something I can take away positively. Not everyone gets the chance to play on such a big court. I have a champion's mentality and, of course, I demand a lot from myself. Today is a sad day."

"I would have liked to take the match to a fourth or fifth set instead of finishing this way. It’s a bittersweet feeling because I’ve achieved some good victories in the last few days, but I feel like it could have ended in a better and more exciting way."

"Still, regardless of the result or what happened on the court, I am proud and happy about how I managed to find solutions against top-level players in the last few days, and how I was able to overcome moments of pressure and perform well in those specific situations of the match."

"It was nice to see myself like that again and feel that I was back in a place that, in a way, I remember from years ago."

The reflections of Stefanos Tsitsipas are especially significant regarding the homogenization of tennis and how that can affect the spectacle and the fans' involvement with the players. The Greek will try to continue being a bastion of a critically endangered one-handed backhand and prolong the good feelings he has had in this 2026 US Open.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Tsitsipas llora la pérdida del revés a una mano: "Todo el mundo juega igual"