Lefty land

A grain of rice to tip the scales?

Two men currently struggling, but for different reasons. Shelton seemed a bit unwell against Opelka, but still managed to play good tennis in the third set, which is encouraging. He has proven himself to be a champion capable of winning in difficult moments. On top of that, the conditions in Indian Wells, with a high bounce and slow courts, suit him well. However, there’s still a question mark regarding his health since that match against Opelka. On the other side, an American who hasn’t found the level he showed during the Australian swing. Although he has managed his schedule smartly, he seems to be lacking rhythm and looks a bit short physically for the events in Dallas and Delray Beach. His tennis is not yet at its best, so I have some reservations about him. His match against Walton in Delray Beach was encouraging, as he won despite the Australian playing at a good level. As for Tien, I like his ability to return more left-handed serves thanks to his own left hand, which allows him to cover certain angles better. However, if he’s not at his post–Australian Open level, he could struggle because Shelton has solid qualities from the baseline. The upcoming match will depend on their form. Logically, Tien could cause problems for Shelton with his baseline game. In terms of odds, Shelton should be the favorite, but only slightly.