How long till the OHBH extinct at pro level?

[Gadz]

Hi all,

Looking at the players currently on your with a one handed backhand, they tend to be pushing on 30 or early 30's and the only two youngsters (under 25) with one handed backhands are Dominic Thiem and Grigor Dimitrov. I keep hoping Dimitrov or Wawrinka will win more slams and maybe Thiem will make top 10 in years too come which could promote the one handed backhand to be used more. Obviously at rec level it will never ever die out, but at pro level do you think in 5-10 years Thiem and Dimitrov will be the only players in the top 50 to have a one handed backhand? Something needs to be introduced to try and promote and keep the single handed backhand in the game ( or at least try). All the coaches brain wash the youngsters at my club with the double handed backhand, I saw one try hitting a single and the coach would shout "two hands on the racket!!" What do you guys think? I look forward to your opinions and views...

**The title should read "How long till the OHBH becomes extinct at pro level" Apologise.**

 

[MyFearHand]

Why do we need to promote and try to keep the single-handed backhand in the game?

 

[Gadz]

Why do we need to promote and try to keep the single-handed backhand in the game?

Because it is so much nicer to watch and is also a lovely looking stroke. Federer has even said he much prefers to watch a game with a single handed backhand.

 

[Tshooter]

Why do we need to promote and try to keep the single-handed backhand in the game?

You know why. Relative to the 1HB the 2HB is a grotesque shot to watch.

Yes, there are good looking 2HBs. But they pale compared to even Richie Gasquet's stiff looking, overrated 1HB. And compare any 2HB to something like Fed's or Stan's 1HB, it makes you want to cover your eyes.

Long live the 1HB.

 

[VexlanderPrime]

Because it is so much nicer to watch and is also a lovely looking stroke. Federer has even said he much prefers to watch a game with a single handed backhand.

Meh, I always hear people say this, but I don't see anything ascetically pleasing about the 1 over the 2. I actually kinda like the look of the 2, especially the leaning jumping return hit. (I myself have traditionally used a 1).

 

[The King of Swing]

I don't understand why we haven't seen more extreme OHBH grips in the mens game like Henin had. Girl was 5'5" and had no problem smacking the high balls which was basically every ball for her. Teachers need to get with it and start teaching this fine stroke to the youngsters that are more natural single handers.

 

[chjtennis]

Thiem and Dimitrov have OHBH so it will survive at least 7-8 years, I guess.

 

[Sirius Black]

Meh, I always hear people say this, but I don't see anything ascetically pleasing about the 1 over the 2. I actually kinda like the look of the 2, especially the leaning jumping return hit. (I myself have traditionally used a 1).

We always like what we don't have.

 

[jm1980]

the only two youngsters (under 25) with one handed backhands are Dominic Thiem and Grigor Dimitrov.

No love for Dušan Lajović?

 

[Deleted member 688153]

Why do we need to promote and try to keep the single-handed backhand in the game?

Because not everyone wants to be on the WTA.

#SHBH4lyfe #Wilson90 #Attackingtennis

 

[winstonlim8]

I always shake my head in disbelief whenever I see another thread like this posted by yet another insecure 2HBH-er.

I've said before and I'll say it again. Use whichever grip you feel most comfortable and play best with. The pros do. Get over it already.

 

[Gadz]

I always shake my head in disbelief whenever I see another thread like this posted by yet another insecure 2HBH-er.

I've said before and I'll say it again. Use whichever grip you feel most comfortable and play best with. The pros do. Get over it already.

What are you on about? I use a one handed backhand so I'm not an insecure 2HBH-er

 

[winstonlim8]

My apologies. I thought you sure sounded like one.

 

[SpinToWin]

At least in the near future, I don't see the shot dying out.

I reckon there will always be some 1HBH pro player with some success, though the frequency of such players will drop given the "modern game".

 

[Tony48]

I don't think it'll ever be completely extinct. It's just not a natural shot for some people. I play 1HBH and my brother is a two-hander and we're practically the same age. It's just about what feels right. They both have their strengths and weaknesses so while it's definitely outnumbered, I don't think the 1HBH ever disappear.

But like you said: a lot of coaches prefer that their players use 2 hands. Although I would hope to think that a player who is a lot more successful with a 1HBH wouldn't be encouraged to switch.

 

[DaveInBradenton]

Many, many top pros use both the 2HBH and 1HBH.

Hint: slice.

Next thread, please.

Dave

 

[LapsedNoob]

Hi all,


**The title should read "How long till the OHBH becomes extinct at pro level" Apologise.**

How about 'until' because a till is part of a cash register?

 

[Indio]

Only one player has won at a grass-court major during the Open era using a one-handed BH without using serve-and-volley tactics, and that is Federer. Only four have done so at the hard-court majors, Wawrinka being the most recent.

 

[Backspin1183]

Till the end of time.

 

[thomasferrett]

Many, many top pros use both the 2HBH and 1HBH.

Hint: slice.

Next thread, please.

Dave

Um, it is a given that by '1hbh' we mean 'topspin 1hbh'.

So there is no need for you to tell us to all move on to a different thread.

 

[BreakPoint]

Many, many top pros use both the 2HBH and 1HBH.

Hint: slice.

Next thread, please.

Dave

I think we're talking about players that hit EVERY backhand with only one hand and never hit any 2HBH's.

 

[Tennis_Hands]

If the low bouncing and faster surfaces make a comeback on the ATP OHBH will return triumphantly, not disappear.

 

[thomasferrett]

If the low bouncing and faster surfaces make a comeback on the ATP OHBH will return triumphantly, not disappear.

Oh man, biggest myth in tennis is that all 1hbh loves low bouncing fast surfaces.

Yes, SOME 1hbh's like those surfaces, but the majority of 1hbh's on the tour right now (look at the ATP top 100 if you don't believe me) prefer SLOW, high bouncing surfaces like clay.

The 1hbh is becoming extinct because of the coaching situation (coaches want early success with kids so give them 2hbh), not because it is not suited to the surfaces on tour today.

In fact, I really think the modern one-hander is MORE suited to today's surfaces than the two-handed backhand. This is why we're seeing the small group of 1hbh players on tour doing better than would be expected given their sample size.

 

[Tennis_Hands]

Oh man, biggest myth in tennis is that all 1hbh loves low bouncing fast surfaces.

OHBH loves low bouncing fast surfaces.

I can personally attest to that although with the time and the slowing of the reflexes there are some benefits of playing on slower and high bouncing ones.

I don't disagree with your post that some OHBHs love high bouncing surfaces.

Guga and Stan are the proof of that and I LOVE watching both of them playing with it.

 

[Gadz]

Only one player has won at a grass-court major during the Open era using a one-handed BH without using serve-and-volley tactics, and that is Federer. Only four have done so at the hard-court majors, Wawrinka being the most recent.

This is true

 

[THE FIGHTER]

two-handers will never know the up and down thrill of seeing a pro play for the first time, hoping he hits with a one-hander, and seeing that 90% of the time it's a two-hander.

 

[PittsburghDad]

This is just one anecdotal story, don't know how representative it is.

I have a little girl who mostly taught herself to play. She likes Roger a ton and had a very nice one hander. By the time she was six, she was getting noticed by coaches and we were getting "recruited" pretty hard. With all of them (4 offering us free coaching etc) the OHBH was an absolute no starter. They said flat out they would not take her if we didn't switch her. We didn't switch her.

We found one very high level coach who would keep the OHBH, and that was after serious lobbying by both of us. It seems that especially with kids getting selected early on there is a very strong bias against OHBH. Even her current coach warns us to be prepared to get that backhand abused in juniors. Especially playing up. We are fine with it. Pick on it more. Sharpening a sword.

 

[winstonlim8]

I commend your attitude and wish your little girl all the best in the years to come. May the tennis gods bless her with 6 Wimbledon's, 6 Roland Barros, 6 USO Flushing Meadows (if they're still playing there) and a few AOs to sweeten the deal. I pray she generates a thousand GOAT threads in the years ahead and thumbs her nose at all those "great coaches" who wanted to switch her backhand.

 

[TennisCanada1]

There's no disadvantage to the OHBH, rather it's how it's executed. Traditionally, players would hit a OHBH flat. Meanwhile, Wawrinka ironically rips his backhand better than anyone on tour right now with one hand. He uses his legs well and produces a heavy, heavy ball. It will depend on how many players have a OHBH, but I don't think its because of the shot itself.

 

[smoledman]

There's no disadvantage to the OHBH, rather it's how it's executed. Traditionally, players would hit a OHBH flat. Meanwhile, Wawrinka ironically rips his backhand better than anyone on tour right now with one hand. He uses his legs well and produces a heavy, heavy ball. It will depend on how many players have a OHBH, but I don't think its because of the shot itself.

To be fair, nobody can hit the OHBH the way Stan does.

 

[thomasferrett]

To be fair, nobody can hit the OHBH the way Stan does.

Almagro and Gasquet (when he's not in over-topspin mode) can both produce equal power to Wawrinka.

 

[President]

Almagro and Gasquet (when he's not in over-topspin mode) can both produce equal power to Wawrinka.

I thought you were all about excessive topspin. Have you changed your preference to the more linear drive of guys like Almagro?

 

[Gadz]

This is just one anecdotal story, don't know how representative it is.

I have a little girl who mostly taught herself to play. She likes Roger a ton and had a very nice one hander. By the time she was six, she was getting noticed by coaches and we were getting "recruited" pretty hard. With all of them (4 offering us free coaching etc) the OHBH was an absolute no starter. They said flat out they would not take her if we didn't switch her. We didn't switch her.

We found one very high level coach who would keep the OHBH, and that was after serious lobbying by both of us. It seems that especially with kids getting selected early on there is a very strong bias against OHBH. Even her current coach warns us to be prepared to get that backhand abused in juniors. Especially playing up. We are fine with it. Pick on it more. Sharpening a sword.

Precisely where things are going wrong, this whole blackmail if you can call it that is absurd. Not coaching her unless she switches. Rather annoying.

 

[Indio]

If you make a list of the players considered to be the best returners in the game, all, or most, will have something in common. What do you think it is?

 

[Gadz]

If you make a list of the players considered to be the best returners in the game, all, or most, will have something in common. What do you think it is?

Yeah, I think everyone should just learn to return with two hands then use one or two hands in the rallies depending on what you use lol. I'm not being serious but its an option!

 

[smoledman]

Almagro and Gasquet (when he's not in over-topspin mode) can both produce equal power to Wawrinka.

They can, but not as consistently and as few unforced errors as Stan.

 

[PittsburghDad]

I'll say this too. The OHBH is very coaching intensive in the beginning. The visual acuity and depth perception of young juniors isn't even close to fully developed yet. So they are already inclined to pick up the ball later. That can be disastrous with a OHBH. If you don't have early prep and solid footwork you can end up with a junior never getting that right foot out front. Not properly timing the drop and fighting out of it with an open stance bailout. It requires constant support with drills and properly structured practice. But the results can be amazing.

On a side note, it wasn't our particular path but I think the ROG balls could really be beneficial to a kid learning the OHBH. But those are mostly kids in clinics. From what we've seen. And even then if you dont have a very strong parent standing there saying "Let her hit one handed" group instructors are immediately going to change it.

 

[thomasferrett]

I thought you were all about excessive topspin. Have you changed your preference to the more linear drive of guys like Almagro?

Yeah, I have changed my tune a bit. The type of backhand I respect most is the kind that can drive a high ball with extreme pace and depth - NOT with loopy spin.

Watching Gasquet made me realize how ineffective his backhand is against high balls because when the ball gets high on him, all seems to be able to do is loop it back high, slow and short, giving the opponent so much time and court positioning to run around and hit a crushing forehand.

That being said, it is still super entertaining to watch a guy like Gasquet using a heavy topspin backhand to angle his opponent off the court. Most 2-handers never ever attempt those plays except Nishikori and Nalbandian. Even Djokovic doesn't have that play on his backhand.

 

[BreakPoint]

Precisely where things are going wrong, this whole blackmail if you can call it that is absurd. Not coaching her unless she switches. Rather annoying.

Exactly! Good thing none of these so called "coaches" were coaching Sampras when he was a junior. They would never have allowed him to switch from his 2HBH to a 1HBH. And then none of us would have ever heard of Pete Sampras.

 

[BreakPoint]

Only one player has won at a grass-court major during the Open era using a one-handed BH without using serve-and-volley tactics, and that is Federer. Only four have done so at the hard-court majors, Wawrinka being the most recent.

But what's wrong with serve and volley tactics?

If there were more 1HBH players, perhaps there would be more serve and volleyers. I guess the consensus is that most 2HBH players can't serve and volley? How sad.

 

[BreakPoint]

If you make a list of the players considered to be the best returners in the game, all, or most, will have something in common. What do you think it is?

They return well?

They also have good anticipation. Federer is a good returner and he has a 1HBH. Just ask Andy Roddick. He could never serve through Federer, like he could against most 2HBH players. Even Djokovic had a lot more trouble returning Roddick's monster serves.

 

[BlackSilver]

Longer than this message board.

 

[chatt_town]

outside the fact that the two players with the most majors swung the ohbh? It's a beautiful shot...lol

Why do we need to promote and try to keep the single-handed backhand in the game?

 

[okdude1992]

I actually don't see that happening. There is still quite a few guys with good one handers on the tour. It's been about the same for the last 15 years or so.

 

[ringwraith]

Won't die anytime soon. It is a very natural shot. And what coaches promote is not always 'right' so to speak. American men's tennis isn't going anywhere because all the coaches are forcing kids to play a style they think is "modern". The player who wins at the pro level has higher tennis intelligence not just robotic power.

 

[Indio]

But what's wrong with serve and volley tactics?

If there were more 1HBH players, perhaps there would be more serve and volleyers. I guess the consensus is that most 2HBH players can't serve and volley? How sad.

I would say that the "consensus" is that it is too difficult for the average pro to win with S&V tactics against a pro with a 2HBH, especially if the S&Ver doesn't have an outstanding serve. As I've said in other posts, you can thank Connors, Borg and Evert for that. Their great success popularized the 2H BH and began the process of largely eliminating S&V as a standard tactic.

 

[Indio]

They return well?

They also have good anticipation. Federer is a good returner and he has a 1HBH. Just ask Andy Roddick. He could never serve through Federer, like he could against most 2HBH players. Even Djokovic had a lot more trouble returning Roddick's monster serves.

I don't know whether using a GOAT candidate as an example proves that the 1HBH is just as good as the 2HBH for R of S. There are plenty of matches I can think of in which Federer struggled against serve.

 

[sureshs]

One handed BH promotes disproportionate body development and tennis elbow. It takes away the sharp angled cross-court attack of the 2 hander and replaces it by loopy topspin moonballs. It takes years for a club player to master, only to find that it is still inferior to the 2 hander.

 

[Tennisknowledge99]

That's what they were saying in the 90's, but look around you when you play tennis, there's more 1 handers popping up now than there were 10 years ago. The one-hander is harder to master, but I think there will always be players who use it. Hopefully young players will consider playing with the 1H-BH due to its versatility and grace. But yes, in the current power era, the 1HBH is less relevant than in the past.

The one-hand backhand may be rare, but far from being extinct.

 

[BreakPoint]

I would say that the "consensus" is that it is too difficult for the average pro to win with S&V tactics against a pro with a 2HBH, especially if the S&Ver doesn't have an outstanding serve. As I've said in other posts, you can thank Connors, Borg and Evert for that. Their great success popularized the 2H BH and began the process of largely eliminating S&V as a standard tactic.

Hmmm....I seem to recall one John McEnroe do pretty well serving and volleying against the likes of Bjorn Borg and Jimmy Connors. And Agassi never beat Sampras at the US Open nor Wimbledon in all the times they played. How? Because Sampras had a 1HBH and served and volleyed, despite Agassi being one of the greatest returners of all time.

Speed all the courts back up (bring back carpet!) and ban poly strings and you'll see serve and volley come back, regardless if the returners have 2HBHs or not.