backhand

The backhand is a fundamental stroke in many racket sports in which the ball is struck on the side of the body opposite the dominant hand. It contrasts with the forehand, where the ball is hit on the dominant side. A backhand can be executed with one hand or with two, depending on the sport, grip, and player preference.

In tennis, the backhand can be one-handed or two-handed. The one-handed backhand uses a single arm and offers reach and slice potential but can be less stable on high balls. The two-handed backhand uses both arms for power and control. Common variations include the backhand slice, which produces backspin and keeps the ball low, and the topspin backhand. Grips range from continental or a specific backhand grip for the one-handed shot to an Eastern backhand grip for some two-handed players. Typical strategies include cross-court play, down-the-line approaches, and returns of serves.

In other sports, the backhand denotes the stroke hit on the non-dominant side. In table tennis, players may use shakehand or penhold grips to execute backhand drives, pushes, topspins, or chops. In badminton, backhand strokes include the backhand clear, backhand drive, and backhand drop, generally relying on a weaker backhand wing. In squash, backhand drives and backhand volleys are used to keep pressure on opponents. Across sports, successful backhands rely on body rotation, timely contact, and proper grip to control depth, speed, and spin.