Drugs may be a factor in the degradation of style and technique in tennis over recent decades. For a hundred years, Western grips and two-handed backhands were considered highly unorthodox and even incorrect technique, in part because they required more running (less lateral reach), required more squatting to pick up the low balls, and required more energy to heave the rackets sharply upward to lift the ball over the net. (The advantage is that they facilitate greater topspin.)

But nowadays Western grips and two-handed backhands have become standard. It may be that drug-induced fitness is enabling players to enjoy the advantages of these hitting styles without paying the penalty of early exhaustion. Their success belittles the authority of generations of authors of tennis how-to books, and reduces young players' respect for (the ability of) their elders.