Thursday, June 13, 2024

"The Most Beautiful Stroke in Tennis": The Immortal One-Handed Backhand

From: "The Most Beautiful Stroke in Tennis",
by Thomas Chatterton Williams,
The Atlantic, June 4, 2024

"What is so compelling about the one-handed backhand is the way a talented player can use the motion, especially on the run, to conceal until the last possible moment the direction of his shot. Power and consistency aren't the only skills involved; there's also subterfuge, and therefore artistry. More than any other stroke in tennis, the one-handed backhand is as good as the player using it. Its value rests on their ability to veil intent, change direction and pace, and foresee unusual angles. In other words, it is more dependent on a player's creativity than on his strength. It becomes a kind of signature that no else can forge."  

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