Building A World Class One Hander: The One versus Two Debate

The most elegant shot in tennis—but should you learn it? There is no more beautiful, elegant shot than the one-handed backhand. When executed correctly, it is graceful, flowing, and aesthetically pleasing. But one of the most interesting debates in tennis is whether the double-hander or single-hander is “better”. And which should be taught to whom when. My belief is that the answer depends on many factors. The two-handed backhand has become extremely popular and is taught almost universally to beginning players, at least in the US. This is because it gives the player early success. I believe the two-hander is unfortunately over taught in this country. American coaches are obsessed with early success. Our culture values quick results and lacks long-term vision, and no doubt the two-hander will make a young player hit better sooner. So how can that be bad? In the long run, the player may be better off with a single-handed shot, for individual tactical, psychological or physiological reasons. I believe coaches should experiment with their players to see if they have the aptitude, desire, strength, and coordination to learn a single-handed backhand. Certain athletes are more right arm dominant and will be better off with a…