One-handed and two-handed backhands compared

Two hands give more control over the racket face, which makes the stroke more stable against pace and against a ball arriving above the waist. High balls to the backhand — the classic problem for a one-hander — are answered more easily with two hands, because the second arm can hold the face through contact.

It is also easier to disguise. Because the racket can be redirected late with the second hand, a two-hander can change direction closer to contact, which makes it harder to read.

One arm reaches further, which means a one-hander can cover a wider ball and can stretch for a defensive shot a two-hander would have to let go. The longer swing path also produces a naturally heavier slice, which is why one-handers generally have better backhand slices.

It transitions to the net more readily, because the grip used for a one-handed backhand is close to the grip used for a backhand volley. A two-hander has to change grips and drop a hand on the way in.

Both are played successfully at the very top of the game, which is the strongest available evidence that neither is simply superior. The one-hander's difficulty with high balls is real and so is the two-hander's reduced reach and weaker slice.

What can be said without overstating: the two-hander is generally easier to learn and more forgiving against pace and height; the one-hander offers more reach, a better slice and an easier path to the net. Which matters more depends on the player and on the surfaces they play on — a high-bouncing surface asks the one-hander a harder question than a low-bouncing one.