One-Handed Backhand
Also known as: one-hander, single-handed backhand
A one-handed backhand is struck with only the dominant hand on the grip, offering greater reach and disguise than a two-hander at the cost of stability against high-bouncing pace.
The one-handed backhand relies on a full shoulder turn and a long, extended arm through contact, typically paired with an eastern or semi-western backhand grip. Because only one hand controls the racquet, the swing has more reach. This means useful on wide or low balls. This means and can disguise slice and topspin variations from a similar preparation, since the free arm and body position give little away until late in the swing. The tradeoff is stability. This means against high-bouncing, heavy-topspin balls, a single hand has to control the racquet face alone. This is more demanding on timing and strength than a two-handed grip.
The most common technical breakdown on the one-hander is an incomplete shoulder turn. This leaves the arm to swing largely on its own without the torso's rotational support. This produces a weak, pushed shot. A well-executed one-hander loads the shoulder fully during the backswing. This means turning the back nearly toward the net. This means. As a result, the forward swing can uncoil the stored rotation into the shot rather than relying purely on arm speed. Many one-handed backhand players pair the topspin drive with a low, sliced backhand for wide, low, or defensive balls. This gives the stroke a versatile two-shot toolkit from a single grip family.
Example
Roger Federer's one-handed backhand is a widely studied example. This means a full shoulder turn and extended arm produce both a penetrating topspin drive and a disguised slice from a similar setup.
Why it matters
A one-handed backhand that breaks down under pace usually reveals an incomplete shoulder turn rather than a strength problem. SwingVantage measures shoulder-rotation angle at the start of the forward swing to isolate the cause.
How it shows up on video
SwingVantage checks for a complete shoulder turn on the backswing. This means the back nearly facing the net. This means and a long arm extension through contact, flagging incomplete rotation as the likely cause of a weak or pushed one-handed backhand.
Common mistakes
- Failing to fully rotate the shoulder on the backswing, leaving the arm to swing without torso support
- Trying to muscle through heavy topspin balls instead of adjusting the contact point and grip pressure
Frequently asked questions
Is a one-handed backhand harder to learn than a two-hander?
It generally requires more precise timing and a fuller shoulder turn. This is because a single hand controls the racquet face. But it offers more reach and disguise once developed.
Related terms
- BackhandThe backhand is a groundstroke hit on the non-dominant side of the body, played either with one hand or two, and can be struck flat, with topspin, or as a slice.
- Two-Handed BackhandA two-handed backhand places both hands on the grip, with the non-dominant hand providing additional stability, power, and disguise through contact.
- Eastern GripThe eastern grip places the base knuckle of the index finger on the flat side bevel of the handle (bevel 3). This allows a flat or moderate-topspin forehand with a comfortable contact height.
- SliceIn tennis, a slice is a shot hit with backspin by swinging high-to-low through the ball, producing a low, skidding bounce. (This differs from a golf slice, which is a curving mishit.)
- Unit TurnA unit turn is rotating the hips and shoulders together as one unit when preparing for a groundstroke, instead of just taking the racquet back with the arm.
Related guides & benchmarks
Put this into your swing
SwingVantage can spot this in your own swing — free to start.
See a sample Tennis report first