Ben Shelton's Racket Setup: A Detailed Look

Alright, tennis fans! Ever wondered what goes into the racket setup of a rising star like Ben Shelton? You're in the right place. We're diving deep into the specifics of his equipment, exploring how each component contributes to his powerful game. From the frame to the strings and the customizations he makes, let's break down what makes Shelton's racket a weapon on the court.

Unveiling Ben Shelton's Racket

The Racket Frame: Yonex Percept 97

At the heart of Ben Shelton's racket setup lies the Yonex Percept 97. This isn't just any racket; it's a precision instrument designed for players who demand control and feel. The Percept 97 is known for its stable feel and pinpoint accuracy, which complements Shelton's aggressive baseline game perfectly.

The Yonex Percept 97 offers a blend of features tailored for advanced players. Its 97 square inch head size provides a generous sweet spot while maintaining a high level of control, allowing Shelton to dictate play with confidence. The racket's weight, typically around 11.5 ounces unstrung, gives it substantial heft for generating power and stability through contact. This is crucial for Shelton, who relies on hitting big from the back of the court and overpowering opponents with sheer force.

Furthermore, the Percept 97 incorporates Yonex's signature Isometric head shape, expanding the sweet spot and making off-center hits more forgiving. This technology ensures that even when Shelton doesn't strike the ball perfectly, he can still maintain control and depth on his shots. The racket's beam thickness and stiffness are optimized to provide a balance of power and feel, enabling Shelton to execute a wide range of shots with precision. Whether he's crushing forehands, flattening out backhands, or delicately slicing a drop shot, the Percept 97 delivers the responsiveness and feedback he needs to perform at his best.

The racket's design also includes a focus on minimizing vibrations and enhancing comfort. Yonex incorporates vibration-dampening materials in the handle and frame, reducing the shock transmitted to Shelton's arm during each stroke. This is particularly important for a player who hits with as much force as Shelton does, as it helps prevent injuries and allows him to maintain peak performance throughout long matches. In summary, the Yonex Percept 97 is a carefully engineered racket that provides the perfect blend of power, control, and comfort, making it an ideal choice for Ben Shelton's demanding game.

String Setup: A Hybrid Powerhouse

Now, let's talk strings – a crucial element in Ben Shelton's racket setup. Shelton employs a hybrid string setup, combining two different types of strings to maximize both power and control. Typically, he uses a polyester string for the mains (vertical strings) and a softer, more elastic string for the crosses (horizontal strings).

Polyester strings, known for their durability and control, allow Shelton to hit with tremendous spin and precision. These strings enable him to generate the massive topspin on his forehands that pushes opponents deep behind the baseline. The stiffer nature of polyester strings also provides excellent directional control, ensuring that Shelton can keep his powerful shots within the lines, even when swinging aggressively. By using a polyester string in the mains, Shelton gains the confidence to attack the ball with full force, knowing that he can maintain control over its trajectory.

Complementing the polyester mains, Shelton uses a softer string in the crosses to enhance feel and comfort. Softer strings offer greater elasticity and responsiveness, providing a more forgiving feel on off-center hits. This helps to absorb some of the shock from the ball impact, reducing the strain on Shelton's arm and allowing him to maintain a comfortable feel throughout long matches. The softer strings also contribute to increased ball pocketing, giving Shelton a better sense of control and enabling him to execute delicate shots with finesse.

The specific combination of polyester and softer strings can vary depending on playing conditions and Shelton's personal preferences. He might adjust the string tension or the specific types of strings used to optimize his racket's performance for different surfaces or opponents. For example, on faster courts, he might lower the tension slightly to gain more ball pocketing and control. Conversely, on slower courts, he might increase the tension to enhance power and spin. Ultimately, Shelton's hybrid string setup is a finely tuned system that allows him to harness the best qualities of both string types, maximizing his performance on the court.

String Tension: Finding the Sweet Spot

The tension of Ben Shelton's strings plays a significant role in dictating the power and control he gets from his racket. String tension is measured in pounds (lbs) or kilograms (kg), and it refers to how tightly the strings are pulled when strung in the racket. Lower tensions generally provide more power and a larger sweet spot, while higher tensions offer more control and precision.

Shelton typically strings his rackets at a tension that balances power and control, allowing him to hit with both force and accuracy. While the exact tension he uses may vary slightly depending on conditions and personal preference, it likely falls within a range that optimizes his performance. Players like Shelton often experiment with small adjustments in tension to fine-tune their racket's response to different playing conditions. For instance, on faster courts, lowering the tension slightly can provide more ball pocketing and dwell time, enhancing control. On slower courts, increasing the tension can help generate more power and spin.

The choice of string tension also depends on the type of strings used. Polyester strings, which Shelton uses in the mains, generally require lower tensions compared to softer, more elastic strings. This is because polyester strings are inherently stiffer and provide more control, so lowering the tension can help enhance their feel and responsiveness. By carefully selecting his string tension, Shelton ensures that his racket performs optimally, giving him the confidence to attack the ball aggressively while maintaining control over his shots. His ability to adapt his string tension based on the specific demands of each match is a testament to his attention to detail and his commitment to maximizing his performance on the court.

Grip and Overgrip: Comfort and Control

The grip is a fundamental component of Ben Shelton's racket setup, influencing his comfort, control, and overall feel of the racket. The grip is the material wrapped around the handle of the racket, providing a secure and comfortable surface for the player to hold. Shelton likely uses a high-quality base grip that offers a good balance of cushioning and tackiness.

Base grips are designed to absorb sweat and provide a comfortable feel, helping to prevent blisters and slippage during long matches. The thickness and material of the base grip can be customized to suit individual preferences, with some players preferring a thicker grip for added cushioning and others opting for a thinner grip for a more direct feel of the racket's bevels. Shelton likely uses a base grip that allows him to maintain a firm and confident hold on the racket, even when swinging aggressively.

In addition to the base grip, Shelton also uses an overgrip, which is wrapped over the base grip to provide extra tackiness and absorb even more sweat. Overgrips are essential for maintaining a secure grip, especially in hot and humid conditions where sweat can cause the racket to slip. Shelton likely uses a high-quality overgrip that offers excellent moisture absorption and a comfortable feel. Overgrips come in a variety of textures and thicknesses, allowing players to customize their grip to their specific needs. Some overgrips are designed with extra tackiness to provide a more secure hold, while others are more absorbent to keep the hands dry and comfortable. By carefully selecting his base grip and overgrip, Shelton ensures that he has a comfortable and secure grip on his racket, allowing him to focus on his performance without worrying about slippage or discomfort.

Customization: Weight and Balance

Many professional players, including Ben Shelton, customize their rackets to fine-tune the weight and balance to their exact preferences. Customization involves adding weight to specific areas of the racket to alter its swingweight, balance point, and overall feel. Lead tape is commonly used for this purpose, as it allows players to add small amounts of weight to the frame or handle of the racket.

By adding weight to the head of the racket, Shelton can increase its swingweight, making it feel heavier and more powerful. This can help him generate more racquet head speed and hit with greater force. However, adding too much weight to the head can make the racket feel unwieldy and difficult to maneuver. Conversely, adding weight to the handle of the racket can shift the balance point towards the hand, making the racket feel lighter and more maneuverable. This can help Shelton react quickly to fast-paced shots and execute quick changes of direction.

The precise amount and placement of weight added to the racket are highly personal and depend on Shelton's individual preferences and playing style. He likely works closely with his racket technician to experiment with different customization options and find the perfect balance of weight and balance for his game. Customization is an ongoing process, and Shelton may make small adjustments to his racket setup over time as his game evolves.

Why This Setup Works for Shelton

Ben Shelton's racket setup is meticulously tailored to complement his aggressive, power-based game. The Yonex Percept 97 provides the control and stability he needs to keep his powerful shots within the lines, while the hybrid string setup enhances both power and feel. The customized weight and balance ensure that the racket feels perfectly suited to his swing style. All these factors combine to give Shelton the confidence to play his best tennis.

Final Thoughts

So, there you have it – a detailed look into Ben Shelton's racket setup. While copying his exact setup won't magically transform you into a tennis superstar, understanding the components and how they work together can help you make informed decisions about your own equipment. Consider trying different rackets, strings, and customizations to find what works best for your game. Who knows, maybe you'll discover the perfect setup to unlock your full potential on the court! Keep experimenting and happy hitting, guys!