There is a shot in tennis that was unknown for the first hundred years, and now, another hundred years later you don’t even notice that it is all you ever see.

Which stroke?

The two handed backhand

There has to be a reason for this. And that reason I believe is that the quality of the backhand is almost directly related to the ability of a player, from amateur to professional.

A Little Backhand History

In 1933 Vivian McGrath unexpectedly beat the world’s best player, Ellsworth Vines in the Australian Championships. His secret? A two handed backhand. In 1939 another player from Australia John Bromwich won the Australian Championships again, two handed. But it did not catch on. It was considering ungainly and unnecessary. Often people remarked “ouch look at that awkward two handed stroke!” Maybe in slower times that was true…..but time were soon to change.

In 1960s Ecuadorian Pancho Segura and Italian Giuseppe Merlo rediscovered it and then in the hands of three players in the 70s it caught fire. I am talking about Chris Evert,Björn Borg and Jimmy Connors. In 1973 Chris Evert made it to number 3 and people began to take notice of the mechanics of her two-handed backhand and even her especially long grip on the Wilson Chris Evert racket! Tracy Austin followed her to the number 1 spot in 1980 also two handed.

In 1975 Björn Borg, was probably the first to leverage top-spin in the two handed backhand. Borg used a Continental grip on his dominant right hand. He would lift his left elbow often above his left shoulder bringing the hands high into his side. His subsequent whip down and back up the ball was indeed almost a slapping motion that imparted a lot of spin.

Jimmy Connors — his rival at the time — also adopted it, no surprise when you try his ridiculously heavy Wilson T2000 weighing around 400g (14oz)!

My Backhand

I rediscovered tennis in 2023. Before that I played only once every four years and I only played one handed backhand. And it wasn’t a very good backhand either…….however my two-handed was non-existent! But starting in June 2023 I decided to learn the two handed backhand. The reason?

I couldn’t return high bouncing balls on the backhand side from good players

I couldn’t return hard body shots from good players

I couldn’t return hard body serves to backhand from good players

Within 3 months, I could hit a two handed backhand more or less where I was aiming for…that is I had some control of accuracy

Within 6 months I could hit a two handed backhand with reasonable depth….…that is I had some control of pace

I am hoping within 24 months I can hit a two handed backhand with reasonable spin….…but I cannot do this yet.

What I did notice is that after about 6 months 80% of my backhands are two-handed, and I only reach for the one-handed in specific situations.

One Handed Background Died

It is no coincidence that the two-handed backhand which was once a curiosity has become dominant. It is stronger and more stable and in today’s game that’s way more important than the additional reach and additional style that comes with a one handed backhand like Federer’s

It’s a shame but the one handed backhand officially died in 2030. RIP you were a beautiful stroke in the right hands