By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Thursday January 16, 2025
In tennis circles, we at all times 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 evening in Melbourne, being a lefty has its drawbacks as properly.
The No.21 seed, who compled a four-set victory over Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta to succeed in the third spherical, says that the largest downside is that guys simply don’t wish to observe with lefties.
“You’ll be able to’t get a observe,” 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. Aside from that, folks do not wish to observe with you as a lot.”
Shelton, a former quarterfinalist on the Australian Open, has reached at the 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 could 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 observe with. Huge serve, lefty, that is two strikes in opposition to you. Discovering hits could be troublesome.”
However even that works in Shelton’s favor. If gamers don’t wish to observe with him then that leaves the factor of shock in play.
“I would say on the identical time folks do not wish to hit with lefties so they do not see your type of sport as a lot,” Shelton stated. “I’m going out and play in opposition to any person that stated no to working towards with me the final 4 instances, at the least he hasn’t seen my serve.”
