By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Thursday, January 16, 2025
In the world of tennis, we often talk about the quirks of being a lefty and how these southpaw players can pose unique challenges to their opponents. You know—the notorious left-handed serve that can send challengers tumbling into the stands?
It’s a well-known fact that many dread facing such a serve.
Indeed, this lefty advantage is a double-edged sword, as Ben Shelton revealed on a recent night in Melbourne.
The No. 21 seed, who clinched a four-set triumph over Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta to advance to the third round, shared that one major downside of being a lefty is finding practice partners.
“You can’t get a practice,” he explained. “It’s nearly impossible, unless the draw brings out someone like Draper, Shapo, or Ugo Humbert. Then I get a few curious looks. Aside from that, players tend to shy away from practicing with you.”
A former quarterfinalist at the Australian Open, Shelton has consistently reached the third round during his appearances in Melbourne Park. He claims he doesn’t mind who he practices with, but other players on the ATP tour can be choosy.
“For me, it doesn’t matter. I’m open to hitting with righties, lefties, tall players, short ones, serve bots, or grinders. It’s all good,” he noted. “Others, particularly players and coaches, can be quite particular about their practice partners. A powerful serve from a lefty? That’s double trouble. It can be tricky to find practice sessions.”
However, this situation can play to Shelton’s advantage. If opponents avoid hitting with him, it keeps his game style under wraps.
“On the flip side, since many prefer not to hit with lefties, they don’t get to see my style as often,” Shelton mentioned. “So when I face someone who opted out of our last few practice sessions, they really haven’t had a chance to scout my serve.”
