149-Year One-Handed Backhand Streak Ends at 2026 US Open
The 149-year streak of having at least one men's singles player with a one-handed backhand reach the semi-finals of a Grand Slam ended at the 2026 US Open when Ben Shelton defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas. This marks the first major tournament since 1877 without a one-handed backhand semi-finalist. Experts attribute the decline to the modern game's speed and style favoring the two-handed backhand, which offers greater efficiency and margin for error in longer rallies on slower courts.
First-hand measurement across 2 sources
We measured how 2 outlets covered this story. No outlet gave this story a measurable political slant — there is no left–right reading to report. Overall sentiment is neutral (51/100). Lens Score 30/100.
Outlets measured: timesnow, hindustantimes. See how each one headlined and framed the same story in the source comparison below.
AI Analysis
Sentiment was consistent across outlets (50–52/100), indicating broadly factual reporting rather than editorialising.
Coverage timeline
hindustantimes broke this story on 7 Sept, 03:02 pm. Other outlets followed.
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