Andy Roddick details why Ben Shelton faces his biggest challenges on clay compared to other surfaces

Andy Roddick has been speaking about Ben Shelton once again, and as always, he’s had plenty of good things to say.

But even with all the talent Shelton has, there are still a few issues holding him back from closing the gap on Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

Roddick seems to have spotted another one – though this time it’s not just about Shelton. It’s something that’s been an issue for American men more broadly.

Shelton isn’t alone in this either. Plenty of players have found it difficult to adjust their game from hard courts to clay over the years.

Andy Roddick weighs in on Ben Shelton’s clay and grass court prospects

Roddick opened the latest episode of his Served with Andy Roddick podcast by focusing on the qualities that make Shelton a threat regardless of surface.

“I mean, that serve translates anywhere,” he began. “When you could serve 140 and then kick it over someone’s head both ways. That tends to work.

He went on to say: “His ball flight on his forehand naturally has a lot of spin on it. You know, I think as the surfaces have become kind of more mono-surface, I think the entire thing is like, can Ben beat me today with his backhand? Which is tough because there’s only so many people that can neutralise the serve.

“On clay, people have more time to find space over there, right? Whereas, like, if his serve comes even quicker, you don’t have time to take a full swing and redirect.

“So, I think clay is just gonna be the toughest surface for him.”

Shelton had mentioned earlier in the year that he was developing a specific shot to help him compete with Sinner. It will be worth watching whether this adjustment makes a difference if they face each other during this season’s swing.

Why Ben Shelton stands out as the player to beat in Houston

Even with Roddick’s questions about how Shelton might fare on clay, he’s still seen as a leading contender to take home the trophy in Houston.

Shelton is the top seed for a reason, and many of his fellow Americans in the draw have similar issues adjusting to clay.

The surface there plays quite differently from what they’ll face in Madrid, Rome and Paris. The green dirt is quicker than Europe’s famous red clay, and it’s tougher to slide on, too.

While this surface won’t prepare players for success at bigger clay events, it does play to Shelton’s strengths in this tournament.

His main competition could come from Frances Tiafoe, Learner Tien or Tommy Paul, though someone like Tomas Martin Etcheverry – who knows his way around a clay court – could also make things interesting.

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