Top 10 One-Handed Backhand Stars: Is Federer Unmatched?

Roger Federer: The Unrivaled Legend of the One-Handed Backhand

Unlike his close friend Stan Wawrinka, Federer's one-handed backhand may not possess the same speed and spin. Moreover, it has been somewhat limited by the left-handed shots of Rafael Nadal. In fact, it is the forehand and the serve that have been the strengths giving the Swiss maestro the edge in matches.

Roger Federer

However, for one-handed backhand players, Federer still sets the "Gold" standard. His one-handed backhand is considered technically flawless, especially when it comes to slice shots. It grants Federer more tactical choices than his opponents, options that he employs with a mastery unmatched by anyone else. It facilitates his transitions on the court, a task he executes with unparalleled ease.

Furthermore, his one-handed backhand allowed him to move gracefully across the court compared to his rivals. Could Federer have become an icon of tennis aesthetics had he adopted a two-handed backhand? That is hard to envision.

Towards the end of his career, Federer honed his one-handed backhand, enabling the "Swiss Express" to dominate over Nadal and ultimately become the oldest male player to hold the ATP No. 1 ranking at the age of 36 years and 10 months. If the serve and forehand are the impressive features of Federer, then the one-handed backhand is the "weapon" that supports this Swiss legend.

10 MINUTES OF: Roger Federer Backhands Video:

Justine Henin: The Petite Powerhouse with a Mighty One-Handed Backhand

That's how the renowned journalist Bud Collins described Henin. Physically, the former Belgian player was indeed a bit shorter for a professional tennis player, standing at just 1.67 meters tall and weighing 56 kilograms during her playing days.

Justine Henin

Henin's greatest strength was her backhand and her net game, ranking among the best in her generation. Alongside that, Henin possessed speed and lightning-fast shots to compensate for her physical disadvantages.

However, Collins focused on her one-handed backhand. Henin's one-handed backhand was outstanding in both technique and power. Henin would take her racquet back flat behind her head, lean back, rotate her body, and unleash the backhand with her right hand. The former Belgian player generated shots with speed and spin beyond what would seem possible for a "small, light" player like her.

Despite her father advising her to play with a two-handed backhand, Henin persisted with her love for the one-handed backhand, turning it into a formidable "weapon."

Tennis.com described her, "Henin might be small, but her one-handed backhand packs the kind of punch that ranks among the deadliest in the sport.

Top 10 One-Handed Backhand Stars

Ranking Source: Tennis.com