"Need to put a f**king truck behind it" - Stefanos Tsitsipas furiously blames himself over one major weakness in his game at United Cup

Stefanos Tsitsipas lashed out at himself during the ongoing 2025 United Cup over his one-handed backhand. The Greek's frustrations boiled over during his crucial 4-6, 6-7(0) loss to Kazakhstan's Alexander Shevchenko at the team event.

During a changeover in the second set, with Shevchenko leading 4-3, a visibly agitated Tsitsipas took a seat in his courtside chair and lamented the quality of his one-handed backhand.

"My backhand doesn’t go anywhere. I need to put a f**king truck behind it for it to go. It’s impossible to do anything with it," the Greek was overheard saying.

The loss to Shevchenko ultimately proved pivotal as Greece fell to a 0-3 defeat to Kazakhstan, with the latter reaching the mixed-team tennis tournament's quarterfinals.

Stefanos Tsitsipas, a former World No. 3 who reached the finals of the 2021 French Open and the 2023 Australian Open, is widely regarded for all-court style of play. However, his one-handed backhand has often been singled out for criticism due to its erratic nature. While the Greek has, at times, used the shot effectively to hit precise and powerful winners, but there have also been several times in crunch matches when it hasn't gone according to plan.

Tsitsipas started playing the one-handed backhand inspired by his tennis idol, Roger Federer. Earlier this year, World No. 15 Jack Draper had spoken up about the Tsitsipas' single-handed backhand following his win over the Greek at the 2024 Cincinnati Open.

"Stefanos Tsitsipas has got a one-handed backhand that's a bit weaker" - Jack Draper after Cincinnati Open 2024 win over Greek

Jack Draper (Source: Getty)

In the second round of the 2024 Cincinnati Open, Jack Draper faced Stefanos Tsitsipas. While Tsitsipas was the higher-ranked player, the match was seen as a fairly even contest in the buildup to it due to Draper's prodigious talent. Ultimately, the Brit registered a remarkable comeback win over the Greek, winning the second-round encounter 3-6, 6-4, 7-5.

After the match, Draper admitted that one of the focal points of his comeback victory revolved around forcing Tsitsipas to play his one-handed backhand frequently. This led to the Brit drawing numerous errors from the Greek.

"In regards to Stefanos, I think my make up is good against him. It’s no coincidence, he’s got a one-handed backhand that’s a bit weaker. His forehand is world class, but sometimes the backhand is a little bit of a weakness so maybe being a leftie helps that pattern," Draper told Sky Sports.

Stefanos Tsitsipas' poor form continued at the 2024 US Open, where he was stunned by Thanasi Kokkinakis in the first round. This shock upset resulted in several tennis fans lambasting the Greek's plight.