I have always found this an interesting discussion. The double handed robust and controlled backhand vs the ascetically pleasing one handed alternate.

It seems these days that the majority of players have double fisted backhands. 7 of the top 10 men currently on tour hit with a double hander, while all 10 of the top 10 woman have double handed backhands. Some of the more memorable one handed backhand players of recent years and now are be Dominic Thiem, Stan the Man, Federer, Henin, Shiavone, Gasquet, Tsitsipas, and Gustavo Kuerton.

Why is everyone choosing the double handed backhand?

The two handed backhand is easier to learn, and it is easier to control. Having the second hand is a nice advantage to be able to flick the wrist to get extra spin and rip the ball from low and then get it back into the court, or get a great angle at the last minute. It allows to be able to absorb pace better by having extra control and doing last minute adjustments with the second hand. Having a two handed backhand also lends well to players who like to hit the drive volley shot. The lob is also much easier to hit with the two fisted backhand, rather than the one hander, not to mention you can disguise the shot better. The shot also seems to hold up better under pressure than it’s one handed counterpart.

You would think that many players would adopt the one handed shot to get more reach, as the two hander shot does not allow for the same as the one hander. In reality it doesn’t really seem to pose much of a disadvantage compared to the one hander as when the ball is that far out of reach on the backhand side, weather you are hitting a one or two handed backhand, you will generally always apply the slice shot to allow for more reach and a defensive shot to neutralise the rally. If you are out of position and trying to get a one hander with topspin, it is very hard to hit it accurately or with pace as the arm is extended away from the body, which means control is difficult.

No matter if you have a fantastic one or two hander backhand, having the versatility to hit the slice and hit it well is the difference between being a good player and a great player. If we look at Federer and Nadal, they both have beautiful top spin backhands, but also have very well honed slice backhands to change up the game, use on approach to the net, hit a drop shot or neautralise the point. Someone like Serena Williams is not particularly known for her slice backhand as she moves so well and seems to always be able to get into position to hit a topspin backhand. If she didn’t have the phenomenal movement skills she does, her slice backhand would have had to be worked on a lot more. Steffi Graff had a one handed backhand and barely hit a topspin backhand, instead relying on her very accurate and effective slice shot to rally and set up the points to get her into a position to use her forehand weapon.

The one handed shot does have one clear advantage. If the ball is served or driven directly into the body of the two hander it is hard to hit as the second hand stops the upper body from moving away from the ball.

The two hander shot is also more advantageous when returning serve as if you are using a one hander, it is very difficult to adjust your shot when the serve is coming at you really fast. Since the mechanics of the two hander are simpler, it allows easier ability to be able to hit a fast serve back.

Conclusion –

The one handed backhand is a very effective stroke and current players like Dominic Thiem will continue to cause havoc with this amazing weapon. The issue is that for the shot to be effective it relies on many aspects to be right to ensure its effectiveness. Having a strong arm, wrist, shoulder, ensuring that the body positioning is on point, ensuring the shoulder is turned properly and ideally stepping into the ball are all part of the effective one hander. While some of these aspects are also relevant for the two hander, ultimately the two hander’s dynamics are much simpler and the control and precision it allows mean that it is the best. This is not to say that you cannot go out and win matches with a one handed backhand, it’s just saying that overall, the double handed backhand is easier to learn, easier to control, is less likely to break down under pressure, and is more precise.