By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Sunday March 10, 2024
Indian Wells – Stefanos Tsitsipas is completely satisfied to affix the refrain of voices which can be exhibiting help for the one-handed backhand. The 25-year-old Greek, a two-time Grand Slam finalist, talked lovingly in regards to the one-hander, and vowed to do his greatest to revive the shot to glory.
“I do really feel prefer it’s probably the most stunning 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 imagine it is probably the most tough factor to be taught in tennis, however in fact 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 nicely.
“I do discover it a good looking shot that additionally, if perfected in the best manner, it may be a large deadly weapon for many who really feel assured hitting that shot.”
That stated, Tsitsipas admits that the single-handed backhand, nonetheless stunning, generally is a tough animal to tame.
“It is a advanced shot to grasp and to good, and it takes a whole lot of time to get to a degree the place you develop a tremendous single-handed backhand, one that could be a weapon,” he stated.
“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 be taught and how one can all the time help your left hand to shut out sure photographs or save sure photographs that maybe a single-handed backhand would slice as a substitute.”
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 another manner. And he actually believes his backhand provides him benefits that he can exploit.
“I do really feel prefer it’s probably the most stunning shot in tennis,” he stated. “I do imagine it is probably the most tough factor to be taught in tennis, however in fact 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 nicely.
So I do discover it a good looking shot that additionally, if perfected in the best manner, 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 mean time doesn’t imply that it received’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 keep it up 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, but it surely has its modernity today. It has developed into a contemporary shot that appears manner completely different than it was lots of of years in the past.
“I do imagine that extra children sooner or later would positively determine to pursue a single-handed backhand and we would see that at large ranges once more, even perhaps a whole lot of gamers taking part in it inside the highest 10 quickly.”
