Greek tennis player Stefanos Tsitsipas is one of the few players who plays the one-handed backhand while the shot slowly evades the tennis world. However, the Greek has always been a very ardent supporter of his style and spoken about it openly.
Recently, ATP put up a video to bring the issue of the ‘extinction of the one-handed backhand’ into the light. The video featured players taking a dig at the opinion that the two-handed backhand is better than the one-handed one.
It showed players trying to do every daily chore using both their hands, showing how difficult it is. These included chores like brushing teeth, drinking coffee, unlocking the door, eating etc. It even featured Tsitsipas trying to hit a two-handed backhand but, the ball goes into the net instead.
ICYMI: The single-handed backhand is dead.
I’ve been brushing my teeth with two hands every day since… pic.twitter.com/isWTZcPdXY
— Stefanos Tsitsipas (@steftsitsipas) August 9, 2024
The entire video just took a humorous dig at everybody saying that the one-handed backhand is on the verge of extinction and that the two-handed one is actually better. Through this short video, players just attempted to show how the former is easier and as we cannot avoid certain single-handed chores, this cannot be dead too as it’s a part of their daily world.
It is believed that a two-handed backhand offers more success to a player, making most of the young and budding players adopt it. However, Swiss maestro Roger Federer is the greatest one-handed backhand success story as the legend went on to win a total of 20 Grand Slams in his career.
Earlier, the Greek, in conversation with the Australian Open, had said that he wants to inspire more and more people to pursue a one-handed backhand so it isn’t dead.
“And with my single-handed backhand that I’ve been using for so many years, I want to inspire more people to pursue a single-handed backhand, to keep it in the game.”
While Tsitsipas has his sense of humor and perspective intact, it wasn’t the case when it came to his coaching staff. On Thursday, Stefanos shocked everyone with the news of ending the partnership with his father as his tennis coach.
Tsitsipas Slams Father’s Rigid Coaching Style
After losing the Canadian Open Round of 32 to Japan’s Kei Nishikori, the world number 11 held his father, who was also his coach, Apostolos Tsitsipas responsible for the loss and went on to berate him among the reporters.
He accused his father of not listening to him and forcing him to follow his own game plan, which was hugely responsible for the loss.
Σας ενημερώνω με βαριά καρδιά ότι η συνεργασία μου με τον πατέρα μου ως προπονητής έχει φτάσει στο τέλος της. Προτιμώ να κρατήσω τον πατέρα μου στον ρόλο του ως πατέρας, και μόνο ως πατέρας.
Η φιλοσοφία μας διδάσκει ότι η σοφία έρχεται μέσα από την κατανόηση των ορίων μας και…
— Stefanos Tsitsipas (@steftsitsipas) August 9, 2024
Soon after, he took to Twitter to announce that he was firing his father from the role of coach and only intended to keep the father-son relationship with him.
Expressing regret over his behavior during and post the Montreal Open game, Tsitsipas wrote how he feels terrible about it and doesn’t want it to happen again. And due to the same reason, he decided to end this coaching partnership with his father.
