By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Thursday January 16, 2025
In tennis circles, we all the time hear about “leftiness” and the way southpaws current distinctive issues for his or her opponents on a tennis court docket. That lefty serve that may drag an opponent into the photographer pit?
Everyone is aware of about it – and dreads dealing with it.
It’s a definite benefit for a lot of lefties on tour however, as Ben Shelton stated on Friday night time in Melbourne, being a lefty has its drawbacks as effectively.
The No.21 seed, who compled a four-set victory over Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta to achieve the third spherical, says that the largest downside is that guys simply don’t need to apply with lefties.
“You may’t get a apply,” he stated. “It is inconceivable, apart from when the draw comes out and so they play Draper, Shapo, or Ugo Humbert. Then I get the look. Apart from that, folks do not need to apply with you as a lot.”
Shelton, a former quarterfinalist on the Australian Open, has reached at the very least the third spherical in every of his three appearances in Melbourne Park. He says he doesn’t care who he practices with. However different ATP gamers may be very choosy.
“For me I do not thoughts. I hit with a righty, lefty, tall man, brief man, serve bot, grinder. Would not actually matter,” he stated. “Guys on tour, gamers or coaches, are specific about who they apply with. Huge serve, lefty, that is two strikes in opposition to you. Discovering hits may be troublesome.”
However even that works in Shelton’s favor. If gamers don’t need to apply with him then that leaves the component of shock in play.
“I would say on the identical time folks do not need to hit with lefties so they do not see your type of recreation as a lot,” Shelton stated. “I am going out and play in opposition to any person that stated no to training with me the final 4 occasions, at the very least he hasn’t seen my serve.”