"I thought Roger Federer's influence is huge?" "The day art died" - ATP having no one-handed backhander in top 10 for 1st time in history shocks fans

The ATP Tour having no player with a one-handed backhand in the top 10 of the rankings for the first time in history has prompted tennis fans to bring up a maestro of the shot, Roger Federer.

With the likes of Pete Sampras, Stan Wawrinka, Dominic Thiem, and Federer mastering the shot, a one-handed backhander has been a mainstay in the ATP rankings. However, with Stefanos Tsitsipas dropping out of the top 10 and Grigor Dimitrov suffering a loss to Alex de Minaur in the Rotterdam Open semifinals, no one-handed backhander will feature in the top 10 once the rankings update on Monday, February 19.

One fan labeled the 20-time Grand Slam champion the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) for 'carrying' the legacy of the one-handed backhanders.

"Federer truly carried the one-handed backhanders, the GOAT (goat emoji)," the fan posted.

However, several fans took the opportunity to question the extent of the former World No. 1's influence on the sport, given the absence of any one-handed backhanders in the top 10.

"I thought Federers influence is huge and every player wants to play like him?" a fan commented.

"Is this the impact Federer had on the game that everyone keeps talking about?" another fan chimed in.

Meanwhile, other fans lamented the lost art of the one-handed backhand.

"The day the art died. Pushers galore," a fan wrote.

"Tennis is losing its art to power," another fan commented.

Here are a few more reactions from fans:

"I wouldn't consider Roger Federer a friend, but someone familiar, with whom I have a great relationship" - Rafael Nadal

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Rafael Nadal recently shared insights into his rivalry and personal relationship with Roger Federer. The Spaniard detailed how their fierce competition pushed each other to the limit on the court.

"We have shared most of our careers. We have helped each other. We have also taken away a lot. We have achieved a level of self-demand that is difficult to repeat because we knew that we could not fail. That competition pushed us to the limit," he said.

Nadal also shed light on the current state of their relationship, disclosing that while he wouldn't consider the 20-time Grand Slam a friend, they shared a great bond.

"I wouldn't consider him a friend, but someone familiar, with whom I have a great relationship," he added.

Nadal and Federer established one of the greatest rivalries in tennis history. They locked horns in 40 tour-level encounters, with the Spaniard enjoying a 24-16 lead in their head-to-head record.