US Open 2026: Stefanos Tsitsipas' exit ends long-standing 'unique' Grand Slam streak
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The conclusion of the streak has reminded everyone of Roger Federer
Ben Shelton of the USA closed out one of tennis’ longest-running traditions on Sunday at Flushing Meadows. His straight-sets win over Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas in the fourth round of the US Open meant that, for the first time since Wimbledon began in 1877, no man using a one-handed backhand will reach a Grand Slam semi-final this year. The American won 6-2, 6-3, 6-4, and with that result, a streak that had survived 149 years finally came to a close.
The one-handed backhand was once the only option in tennis, back when wooden rackets ruled the game and every player, amateur or professional, hit the shot the same way. But as the sport modernised, the two-handed backhand slowly took over, offering more power and stability at the baseline.
Still, the one-hander never disappeared completely. Players like John McEnroe, Ivan Lendl, Stefan Edberg, Pete Sampras, Gustavo Kuerten, Richard Gasquet, Roger Federer, Stan Wawrinka, and Dominic Thiem kept the stroke alive across different eras.
Shelton had already dealt a blow to the one-handers a few days earlier, beating Denis Shapovalov of Canada, ranked 48th in the world, in the third round. That left Tsitsipas as the last hope to keep the streak going into the US Open’s second week, and his loss to Shelton sealed the outcome.
Related: US Open 2026 – Top five fourth round matches to watch out for
Why did this streak finally end in 2026?
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In 1905, when all four Grand Slams were held, 16 one-handed backhand players reached the semi-finals across the year.
By 2005, that number had dropped to just five, with Federer accounting for four of those appearances and Mariano Puerta making up the fifth. Last year, only Lorenzo Musetti kept the tradition going, reaching the semi-finals at the French Open.
Musetti, now the highest-ranked one-hander on the ATP tour, could not repeat that feat this year. He was knocked out in the second round of the US Open. Earlier in the season, he had a real chance to extend the streak at the Australian Open, leading Novak Djokovic by a couple of sets in the quarter-finals before a right leg injury forced him to retire from the contest.
Switzerland’s Stan Wawrinka, the 2016 US Open champion, also failed to keep the streak alive. Handed a wildcard entry this year, he lost in the first round and retired from the match.
Who were the other one-handed backhand players who could have kept the streak alive?
Denis Shapovalov lost to Shelton in the third round, Lorenzo Musetti was knocked out in the second round, and Stan Wawrinka, who received a wildcard entry, retired after losing his first-round match.
What streak ended at the US Open 2026?
Since Wimbledon began in 1877, at least one man with a one-handed backhand had reached a Grand Slam men’s singles semi-final every single year. That streak ended in 2026 after Stefanos Tsitsipas, the last one-hander left in the draw, lost to Ben Shelton in the US Open fourth round.
What is Stefanos Tsitsipas’ best performance at the US Open?
The pre-quarterfinal exit in the ongoing US Open is Tsitsipas’s best performance in the event to date.
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