Lorenzo Musetti Injury Sparks One-Handed Backhand Crisis

For the first time in the history of open-era tennis, the legendary single-handed backhand has been completely wiped out of the elite tier. According to the official ATP rankings, there is currently not a single player employing the classic one-hander inside the world's top 10. It is a staggering wake-up call for purists who grew up on the artistic masterpieces of Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka. The modern game is faster, more physical, and increasingly hostile to single-handed variety.

The Extinction of the Single-Handed Backhand in the Elite Ten

Let's be honest: the writing has been on the wall for years. The sheer velocity of modern baseline exchanges makes defending with a single-hander an uphill battle. While players like Stefanos Tsitsipas and Dominic Thiem have fought valiantly to keep the tradition alive, the physical toll of the tour has caught up. The double-handed backhand offers undeniable stability on return and under extreme defensive pressure, making it the default choice for the next generation of academy-trained baseline machines.

This milestone represents more than just a statistical quirk; it is a fundamental shift in how tennis is played at the highest level. Without the variety and slice-and-dice capability of the classic backhand, matches are becoming increasingly homogenized. We are watching a masterclass in athletic efficiency, but we are losing the soul and the geometry of classic court craft in the process.

Musetti's Italian Open Disaster and the Rankings Slide

The final bastion of hope was Lorenzo Musetti. The elegant Italian reached a career-high ranking of No. 5 in January, keeping the single-handed dream alive at the very top. However, disaster struck at the Italian Open in May when Musetti suffered a severe rectus femoris tear. The injury was a massive blow, instantly halting his momentum and forcing him to withdraw from both Roland Garros and Wimbledon.

The forced absence proved catastrophic for Musetti's ranking points, causing him to slide down to No. 13. With Musetti sidelined, the mantle of the next-highest ranked single-hander falls to Canada's Denis Shapovalov, who sits way down at No. 43. Until Musetti can fully recover his physical peak and rebuild his ranking, the top 10 will remain a double-handed monoculture.

Rivalry Matchup & Player Profiles

Lorenzo Musetti currently holds a perfect 2-0 lead in his head-to-head series against Denis Shapovalov. Despite Shapovalov's explosive left-handed game and high-risk baseline aggression, Musetti's tactical versatility and superior court coverage have consistently defused the Canadian's power.

Their most recent encounter took place in the second round of the 2025 Australian Open, where Musetti put on a clinic. The Italian secured a straight-sets victory, winning 7-6(3), 7-6(6), 6-2. That match highlighted the contrast between Musetti's calculated, elegant single-hander and Shapovalov's high-variance style, proving that when healthy, Musetti remains the premier single-handed talent on the ATP Tour.