Shapovalov, the Only Left-Handed One-Handed Backhand Player in the Top 300
Shapovalov is a true rarity on the professional tour. A left-hander, the Canadian also has the unique trait of wielding a one-handed backhand.
It's an extremely rare combination that he alone possesses within the ATP top 300. In fact, you have to go all the way down to American Alex Rybakov (314th) to find a similar playing style (left-handed with a one-handed backhand).
Moreover, Shapovalov is also one of the few players, along with Musetti and Altmaier, to have reached the third round of the US Open while playing with a one-handed backhand.
The future looks challenging for such an elegant shot, as evidenced by this statement from Dimitrov at Wimbledon:
"The one-handed backhand is like life—it has its ups and downs. Once you hit it, it feels like hitting the jackpot. In the coming years, we'll see it less and less; that's just how it is."
