Backhand in Tennis: One-Handed vs Two-Handed, Grips, and Mechanics Explained

The backhand in tennis is the groundstroke a player hits on their non-dominant side, swinging the racket across the body with the back of the hitting hand facing the ball at contact. It is one of the two fundamental groundstrokes — alongside the forehand — and can be hit with one hand or two, with either topspin or slice, depending on the situation and the player’s technique.

What Is a Backhand in Tennis?

For a right-handed player, the backhand is struck on the left side of the body; for a left-hander, it’s on the right. Unlike the forehand, where the palm faces the ball, the backhand is played with the back of the hand (or hands) leading into contact. This is what historically made it the harder of the two groundstrokes to master — less natural leverage, a smaller hitting zone, and, for singles players, more strength required through the shot.

The backhand sits among the full family of tennis strokes covered in our guide to the types of tennis shots, alongside the forehand, serve, volley, overhead, and drop shot. Every player, regardless of level, needs a reliable backhand to survive a rally, because opponents will target it relentlessly if it’s the weaker side.

One-Handed vs Two-Handed Backhand: Grips and Mechanics

The biggest decision a player makes with the backhand is how many hands to use.

Two-handed backhand: The dominant hand grips low on the handle in a Continental or Eastern backhand grip, and the non-dominant hand sits directly above it in an Eastern or Semi-Western forehand grip. The stroke uses a smaller backswing, with both hips and shoulders rotating together and both arms driving through the ball for stability. It is generally considered easier to learn, which is why it’s now the default taught to juniors worldwide.

One-handed backhand: The dominant hand uses an Eastern backhand grip, with the base knuckle sitting on the top bevel of the handle. The non-dominant hand helps guide the racket back during the takeback, then releases before contact. The hitting arm stays close to straight through the ball, contact is made further out in front, and full shoulder and hip rotation generate the power that the second hand would otherwise supply. It demands more timing and upper-body strength but rewards the player with extra reach on wide balls.

Both styles are typically hit with a racket suited to fast swing speeds and control — for more on how racket choice interacts with technique, see our overview of racket sports.

Topspin Backhand vs Slice Backhand

Beyond the grip, players also choose between two spin styles depending on the shot they need.

The topspin backhand uses a low-to-high swing path, brushing up the back of the ball to create forward rotation. This makes the ball dip down into the court and kick up sharply after the bounce, which is why it’s the primary shot used from behind the baseline in modern rallies. Wrist pronation and forward weight transfer add extra racket-head speed.

The slice backhand does the opposite: a high-to-low, cutting swing path imparts backspin, producing a shot that stays low and skids on the bounce rather than kicking up. It’s traditionally used as a defensive or transition shot — to buy time, change the rhythm of a rally, or approach the net — but some players, most famously Roger Federer, have turned it into an offensive weapon that disrupts an opponent’s timing outright.

Pros and Cons of Each Backhand Style

Style	Advantages	Disadvantages
Two-handed backhand	Easier to learn; more stable against high, heavy topspin; strong on the return of serve	Less reach on wide balls; slower transition into a slice
One-handed backhand	Greater reach; smoother, more natural slice; easier transition to net play	Requires more strength and precise timing; tougher against high-bouncing topspin
Topspin backhand	Generates pace and net clearance; dips the ball into the court	Requires more racket-head speed and technique to execute consistently
Slice backhand	Keeps the ball low; buys recovery time; effective approach shot	Sits up if hit too softly, inviting attack; rarely a primary power shot

Famous One-Handed and Two-Handed Backhand Exponents

The one-handed backhand is often called the most elegant stroke in tennis, and its list of practitioners backs that reputation: Roger Federer, Stan Wawrinka, Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Justine Henin all built their games around it, each pairing it with a devastating slice.

The two-handed backhand, meanwhile, has produced the shot’s most dominant modern practitioners. Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal built two of the sturdiest backhands in men’s tennis history around it, while Serena Williams used hers as one of the most powerful weapons in the women’s game. As two-handers have become the overwhelming majority on tour, the one-hander has grown rarer at the elite level — but no less admired.

Backhand vs Forehand: Key Differences

The forehand is hit on a player’s dominant side with the palm facing forward, generally allowing more natural power, an earlier contact point, and a longer hitting zone — which is why most players develop it as their primary weapon first. The backhand, hit on the non-dominant side, has a smaller natural hitting zone and historically less raw power, but a well-built backhand — whether one-handed or two-handed — closes that gap and can be just as reliable a weapon in a rally. For a full technical breakdown of the other side of the ball, see our guide to the tennis forehand.

In practice, most club-level and junior players are coached to develop the two-handed backhand first for its consistency, then experiment with a one-handed slice and, eventually, a full one-handed topspin backhand if their footwork, strength, and timing support it.