Ben Shelton’s string setup keeps changing. I have previously written about Ben Shelton’s new strings. But what has changed?
A Closer Look at Ben Shelton’s String Setup
Ben Shelton is one of the most exciting up-and-coming players on the tour. He has quickly moved up the rankings and has an explosive game backed with a big serve. I would predict he has a great chance of becoming the next American tennis superstar, which US tennis needs on the men’s side. On the women’s side, they already have Coco Gauff, but they need a Grand Slam winner in the men’s game. It’s not unlikely that Shelton can win a slam in the next few years.
When I wrote about Shelton’s strings for his Yonex Ezone 98 (click to read my review; you can purchase the racquet at Tennis Warehouse) he used Yonex Poly Tour Pro 1.30 after testing many different strings like Yonex Poly Tour Rev in different colors before the switch.
Now, he is using a hybrid setup. This means he has different strings in the mains and crosses.
In the mains, it looks like he is using Yonex Poly Tour Strike, which is a more control-oriented option, and in the crosses, he is still using Poly Tour Pro. I could be wrong. This could be two different colors of Yonex Poly Tour Pro, which is what Tennis Warehouse states on their Ben Shelton page. But I think just changing the color of the string is not big enough of a change. With his big game, I assume he wanted more control, and Poly Tour Strike will improve that over using a full bed of Poly Tour Pro.
Shelton’s String Tension
Shelton’s tensions are fairly high, which makes sense. The last tension sheet I saw had 57 lbs mains and 54 lbs crosses. The idea of having a lower tension in the crosses is to allow the strings to move more and create a better snapback effect. Snapback is when you allow the strings to move back into place, and the more friction-free they can do that, the better the spin potential. At least, that’s the thinking behind it. Tennis gear is not a perfect science (well, what is a perfect science, really) and there are a lot of theories and opinions floating around.
If you have any more info about Ben Shelton’s racquet setup, like weight and customization. Please comment below or reach out via Instagram.
8 comments
I don’t know if you really reply to comments. But I’ll give it a shot.
I’ve been looking for a new racket for a while and I’m now basically certain the Ezone 98 is right choice…
And I’m here to ask for stringing advice. I have quite a strong serve is “semi-flat” I like to be aggressive rather than defensive. I hit from baseline until I see an opportunity to attack, at this point I’d try blast a forehand ( sometimes backhand ) into a difficult position before coming to finish the point ( often at net ) my shots are also rather flat but do have a bit of spin. I can generate lots of power from a medium swing. I do like the look of the hybrid but I’m not sure.
I’m also not sure about tension hence me asking. You’d obviously know more about equipment than me so thanks in advance for an answer. ???
It is difficult to give detailed advice without knowing more about the player and it does take some time. This is why there is a consultation service on the website. Just based on what you write, I would try Yonex Poly Tour Pro 1.25 at 49 lbs.
“just changing the color of the string is not a bjg enough change” what are you smoking…
Maybe it was poorly expressed. The color of a string makes a difference. So using black PTP in the mains and yellow PTP in the crosses might be a little different than a full bed of yellow PTP, but at the same time it sounds like such a small change that it wouldn’t have crossed their mind. Does that make sense to you, Perry?
I’ve heard the Durability is not great though… and maybe the 1.30 is better or maybe the same setup as Ben Shelton or Casper Rude would help with that issue ? Thanks for the answer by the way.
Mate, you need to calm yourself down. Even if you do not agree with TN, be respectful. The official Yonex site lists POLYTOUR STRIKE and POLYTOUR PRO as two strings Ben uses. It is possible these two are used in a hybrid setup.
Yeah, that is the most likely. Thanks for your comment!
I love the E-Zone 98.. I’ve been hitting with it for a month now.. I find Yonex Strings feel the best. Poly Rev at 53 for me… I might add some weight to the head but not much.