16-year-old American junior, Teo Davidov, has become one of the most talked-about players at the 2026 US Open, despite not making a deep run in either of his events.
Teodor “Teo” Davidov has drawn attention for a tennis style that looks radically different from the norm: he plays with two forehands, switches the racket between his hands and rarely uses a conventional backhand.
The Denver, Colorado, teenager’s unusual approach has turned heads at Flushing Meadows, where the junior competition is showcasing some of the sport’s most promising young players. The US Open’s official player listings confirm Davidov competed in both boys’ singles and boys’ doubles this year.
Why does Teo Davidov not hit a backhand?
Most two-handed or one-handed tennis players develop a forehand on one side and a backhand on the other. Davidov has taken a very different route.
He can hit a traditional backhand, but his preferred strategy is to switch the racket from one hand to the other and use a forehand from either side of his body.
That gives him what is effectively a double-forehand system. During rallies, he can change hands depending on where the ball is headed, allowing him to attack from both sides without relying on a conventional backhand.
The Guardian described the teenager’s technique as an “ambidextrous experiment” and noted that he also serves with both hands.
How does his two-forehand system work?
Davidov has explained that he generally uses his right hand on the deuce side and his left hand on the ad side, although he has been increasingly willing to mix things up.
The concept gives him another tactical option because he can position a forehand stroke against balls that would normally force a player into a backhand.
It also means his footwork and anticipation have to be highly coordinated. Switching hands in the middle of a rally is not a simple trick. The racket has to move cleanly between hands while the player continues reading the opponent, adjusting his position and preparing the next shot.
His serve follows the same philosophy, with Davidov capable of serving with either hand. The US Open has also highlighted footage of him using the unusual technique.
Who is Teo Davidov?
Davidov is a US-based junior player from Denver who has been competing at a high level since childhood.
His unusual tennis style was already attracting attention several years ago. In 2022, when he was 11, Davidov defeated Jamie Alcaraz Garfia, the younger brother of Carlos Alcaraz, 6-1, 6-0 at the IMG Future Stars Invitational in Athens. He was already known at the time for hitting forehands with both hands and serving with either hand.
Four years later, that experiment has evolved into one of the most distinctive playing styles on the junior circuit.
Davidov has also competed successfully outside the Grand Slam junior scene, including appearances in professional-level events and a boys’ doubles title at the Les Petits As tournament, according to The Guardian.
How did he perform at the 2026 US Open?
Davidov’s singles campaign ended in the first round.
He lost to South Africa’s Connor Doig in straight sets, 7-6(4), 6-3. The official US Open results confirm Doig advanced after the victory.
His doubles run lasted longer.
Playing alongside Tyler Lee, Davidov won the opening round before the pair’s campaign ended in the second round against the top-seeded combination of Guto Miguel and Ziga Sesko. The US Open’s official coverage featured Davidov and Lee during their second-round match.
So while his tournament record was modest, the attention surrounding his technique was anything but.
Why is his style attracting so much attention?
Davidov’s game challenges one of tennis’s most basic assumptions: that every player needs a reliable backhand.
By building his game around two forehands, he is effectively trying to eliminate what is traditionally considered one of the two main sides of a player’s groundstroke arsenal.
That could offer tactical benefits. A player who is comfortable producing forehands from either side may be able to attack more aggressively and reduce the number of situations in which an opponent can deliberately target a weaker backhand.
But there are trade-offs too.
The constant hand-switching requires exceptional timing and coordination, while playing a conventional backhand can offer greater stability in certain defensive or fast-exchange situations.
Is Davidov’s approach the future of tennis?
It is too early to say.
His technique is fascinating precisely because it is so unusual, but one junior player’s success cannot establish that two-forehand tennis is superior to the conventional forehand-backhand model.
At the same time, Davidov’s performances show that modern tennis does not necessarily have to be built around a single template.
Andy Roddick has spoken positively about the potential of Davidov’s approach, particularly because of the tactical possibilities created by his ability to use both hands.
The experiment is therefore worth watching not simply because it looks strange, but because Davidov is testing whether an unconventional technical foundation can work at an increasingly demanding level of competition.
What comes next for Teo Davidov?
At 16, Davidov still has time to decide how far he wants to take the experiment.
The conventional route could involve college tennis, a move into the professional ranks or further development on the junior circuit. The bigger question will be whether he continues to build entirely around the two-forehand system or gradually incorporates a more traditional backhand into his game.
For now, though, the teenager has already accomplished something rare at the US Open.
While most players arrive in New York trying to make their games look as complete as possible, Davidov has made headlines by doing almost the opposite: removing the backhand from the equation and betting on two forehands instead.
Fact-checking note: Davidov is an ambidextrous junior player who uses forehands from both sides and can serve with either hand. Calling him a player with “no backhand” is shorthand for his preferred match strategy, not a claim that he is physically incapable of hitting one. The US Open records confirm his first-round singles loss to Connor Doig and his second-round doubles appearance with Tyler Lee.