Game plan
Ben Shelton v Alexei Popyrin
Every number combines what Ben Shelton does well with what Alexei Popyrin allows, each measured against the tour average and shrunk toward it when the sample is thin. Flip perspective
Forecast
Each player's serve and return strength is fitted against every opponent they were charted against, so a record built on weak opponents counts for less. Both were charted enough in the last three seasons, so those carry the most weight. The result is then nudged by Ben Shelton's record against Alexei Popyrin's tactical lookalikes and in their charted head-to-heads (lookalikes: +3.1 on serve, +1.7 on return vs expectation (595 points)). A game-by-game Markov chain turns point odds into match odds; the 90% range covers the uncertainty in the two strengths, not the nudges. Charted matches lean toward big events, so treat this as a scouting estimate, not a betting line.
Head to head, per 100 shots
| Career | Ben | Alexei |
|---|---|---|
| Direction choice | −0.37 ±0.06 better than 3% | +0.04 ±0.06 better than 69% |
| Shot selection | +0.04 ±0.16 better than 57% | +0.29 ±0.15 better than 79% |
| Execution | −0.67 ±0.48 better than 38% | −0.73 ±0.59 better than 36% |
| Points left on the table | 3.64 ±0.10 lower than 7% | 2.71 ±0.10 lower than 39% |
Each player's career against an average tour player in the same position, adjusted for opponent strength, with a 90% margin (shots clustered by match). Points left on the table is the gap to the best-value direction for the same stroke, so lower is better. Percentiles are within each player's own tour. A side is highlighted only when the gap is larger than the margin on the difference.
Structural compatibility
Expected edge per 100 rally shots from style alone: Ben Shelton −0.56, Alexei Popyrin −0.77. Each player's shot mix weighted by their own skill with each shot and by how much the other gives up against it. This is why some rankings gaps don't hold in a given matchup.
Serve plan
The share of points the server wins when a first serve lands in that direction (hover a rate for its 90% interval; ± is the 90% margin). "Matchup" combines the server's rate with how this returner handles that serve. "Optimal" is the mix that wins most against this returner once they start reading a habit, at the response measured across the tour, and only within the range servers' habits actually vary. The gain over the current mix is how exploitable that mix is.
Ben Shelton serving
Deuce court
| 1st serve | Now | Ben wins | v Alexei | Matchup | Optimal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wide | 46% | 72% | 73% | 71.8%±4.6 | 46% |
| Body | 14% | 62% | 64% | 62.7%±8.7 | 1% ▼ |
| T | 40% | 72% | 75% | 72.0%±4.7 | 53% ▲ |
Optimal v Alexei Popyrin: +1.1±0.8 per 100 first serves (faults included) over the current mix. Serving T every time would read +1.4 per 100 first serves in before the returner adjusts.
Ad court
| 1st serve | Now | Ben wins | v Alexei | Matchup | Optimal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wide | 51% | 74% | 74% | 75.5%±4.1 | 58% ▲ |
| Body | 14% | 71% | 69% | 75.8%±7.8 | 1% ▼ |
| T | 35% | 80% | 73% | 81.0%±4.2 | 41% ▲ |
Optimal v Alexei Popyrin: +0.4±0.7 per 100 first serves (faults included) over the current mix, inside the 90% margin. Serving T every time would read +3.5 per 100 first serves in before the returner adjusts.
Alexei Popyrin serving
Deuce court
| 1st serve | Now | Alexei wins | v Ben | Matchup | Optimal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wide | 45% | 73% | 75% | 75.3%±4.1 | 42% ▼ |
| Body | 9% | 62% | 61% | 59.6%±9.5 | 0% ▼ |
| T | 45% | 78% | 77% | 80.4%±4.0 | 58% ▲ |
Optimal v Ben Shelton: +0.9±0.7 per 100 first serves (faults included) over the current mix. Serving T every time would read +4.2 per 100 first serves in before the returner adjusts.
Ad court
| 1st serve | Now | Alexei wins | v Ben | Matchup | Optimal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wide | 52% | 76% | 77% | 79.8%±4.0 | 65% ▲ |
| Body | 5% | 63% | 64% | 63.2%±10.8 | 0% ▼ |
| T | 43% | 74% | 74% | 75.8%±4.5 | 35% ▼ |
Optimal v Ben Shelton: +0.5±0.6 per 100 first serves (faults included) over the current mix, inside the 90% margin. Serving wide every time would read +2.6 per 100 first serves in before the returner adjusts.
Return plan
Value of each return, in points per 100 returns against an average return of the same serve (direction, court, surface): the tour's result with that return, the returner's own edge with it, and what this server gives up when it comes back to that side. Returns with no charted direction are left out, so values compare with each other rather than with zero. Depth isn't a choice here: missed returns have no depth. Serve quality isn't charted, so a block through the middle partly reflects the serve that forced it.
Ben Shelton returning
1st serve to the forehand
| Return | Now | Tour | Own | v Alexei | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FH through the middle | 49% | +4.3 | −0.4 | +1.7 | +5.6±2.1 |
| FH down the line | 18% | +1.7 | +1.6 | +1.7 | +5.0±4.1 |
| FH slice through the middle | 13% | −4.2 | +2.0 | +0.3 | −2.0±2.2 |
| FH crosscourt | 13% | +5.5 | −0.2 | −4.4 | +1.0±4.2 |
| FH slice down the line | 4% | −4.3 | −2.3 | −0.8 | −7.3±3.1 |
Lean FH through the middle: +2.5±1.5 per 100 returns v the current mix (792 returns charted)
1st serve to the backhand
| Return | Now | Tour | Own | v Alexei | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BH through the middle | 35% | +6.4 | +0.3 | +0.5 | +7.3±2.0 |
| BH slice through the middle | 21% | −4.2 | −0.3 | −2.0 | −6.5±2.2 |
| BH down the line | 17% | +4.2 | −2.6 | −0.9 | +0.7±3.9 |
| BH crosscourt | 15% | +8.8 | −5.4 | +1.0 | +4.4±3.4 |
| BH slice down the line | 8% | −8.4 | +2.5 | −3.4 | −9.2±3.5 |
Lean BH through the middle: +6.2±1.7 per 100 returns v the current mix (972 returns charted)
2nd serve to the forehand
| Return | Now | Tour | Own | v Alexei | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FH through the middle | 58% | −3.5 | −2.7 | +0.3 | −5.8±2.4 |
| FH crosscourt | 22% | −0.2 | +1.2 | −3.4 | −2.4±4.3 |
| FH down the line | 20% | −1.8 | −8.0 | +1.5 | −8.3±4.7 |
Lean FH crosscourt: +3.1±3.8 per 100 returns v the current mix (294 returns charted, inside the 90% margin)
2nd serve to the backhand
| Return | Now | Tour | Own | v Alexei | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BH through the middle | 56% | −2.9 | +0.9 | −0.4 | −2.4±1.8 |
| BH crosscourt | 17% | +1.0 | −1.0 | +3.2 | +3.3±3.2 |
| BH down the line | 17% | −0.2 | −3.4 | −2.2 | −5.8±4.3 |
| FH through the middle | 6% | −2.9 | ±0.0 | +0.3 | −2.6±2.2 |
| FH inside-in | 2% | +0.6 | −2.1 | −3.4 | −5.0±3.9 |
Lean BH crosscourt: +5.3±2.9 per 100 returns v the current mix (622 returns charted)
Alexei Popyrin returning
1st serve to the forehand
| Return | Now | Tour | Own | v Ben | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FH through the middle | 44% | +4.3 | +1.5 | −0.7 | +5.0±2.2 |
| FH down the line | 21% | +1.7 | +1.8 | −2.3 | +1.2±4.0 |
| FH crosscourt | 19% | +5.5 | +3.3 | −2.4 | +6.4±3.8 |
| FH slice through the middle | 11% | −4.2 | −1.3 | −2.7 | −8.2±2.3 |
| FH slice down the line | 4% | −4.3 | −0.6 | +0.2 | −4.6±2.8 |
Lean FH crosscourt: +3.9±3.3 per 100 returns v the current mix (584 returns charted)
1st serve to the backhand
| Return | Now | Tour | Own | v Ben | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BH through the middle | 41% | +6.4 | +1.0 | +0.1 | +7.5±1.9 |
| BH down the line | 20% | +4.2 | −1.4 | −2.5 | +0.3±4.0 |
| BH slice through the middle | 15% | −4.2 | +0.8 | −1.3 | −4.7±2.3 |
| BH crosscourt | 13% | +8.8 | +1.6 | −1.6 | +8.8±3.2 |
| BH slice crosscourt | 7% | +0.5 | −3.0 | −0.8 | −3.3±3.0 |
Lean BH crosscourt: +6.0±3.1 per 100 returns v the current mix (633 returns charted)
2nd serve to the forehand
| Return | Now | Tour | Own | v Ben | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FH through the middle | 47% | −3.5 | −0.9 | −1.8 | −6.2±2.5 |
| FH crosscourt | 32% | −0.2 | +5.2 | −3.4 | +1.5±4.2 |
| FH down the line | 21% | −1.8 | −4.1 | −4.3 | −10.2±4.6 |
Lean FH crosscourt: +6.1±3.2 per 100 returns v the current mix (139 returns charted)
2nd serve to the backhand
| Return | Now | Tour | Own | v Ben | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BH through the middle | 37% | −2.9 | −4.1 | −0.9 | −7.9±2.0 |
| BH down the line | 21% | −0.2 | −1.5 | −3.4 | −5.2±4.7 |
| BH crosscourt | 18% | +1.0 | −3.2 | −1.5 | −3.7±3.0 |
| FH through the middle | 10% | −2.9 | −2.4 | −1.8 | −7.0±2.1 |
| FH inside-out | 9% | +1.0 | −1.3 | −4.3 | −4.6±3.7 |
Lean BH crosscourt: +2.5±2.8 per 100 returns v the current mix (463 returns charted, inside the 90% margin)
Rally plan
Edge, in points per 100 shots: the hitter's skill with the shot (own) plus how much the receiver usually gives up against it (theirs), both measured against the tour average.
Ben Shelton
Favour
| Shot | Edge | Own | Theirs |
|---|---|---|---|
| FH to their forehand · serve +1 | +2.8±2.5 | +1.0 | +1.8 |
| FH to the middle · return +1 | +2.8±2.3 | +0.1 | +2.7 |
| FH slice to the middle · return | +2.3±2.2 | +2.2 | +0.2 |
| BH to their forehand · serve +1 | +2.0±4.4 | −0.4 | +2.5 |
| BH to the middle · return +1 | +1.9±2.2 | +1.1 | +0.7 |
| FH to the middle · rally | +1.5±1.6 | −0.9 | +2.4 |
Avoid
| Shot | Edge | Own | Theirs |
|---|---|---|---|
| BH to their backhand · return | −5.8±2.3 | −3.7 | −2.0 |
| BH slice to their backhand · return | −4.5±2.9 | −1.9 | −2.6 |
| FH to their forehand · return +1 | −4.3±3.3 | −3.2 | −1.1 |
| BH slice to their backhand · rally | −3.4±2.2 | −1.6 | −1.8 |
| FH to their backhand · return | −3.2±3.3 | +1.7 | −4.9 |
Alexei Popyrin
Favour
| Shot | Edge | Own | Theirs |
|---|---|---|---|
| FH volley to their backhand · rally | +4.8±5.8 | +2.0 | +2.8 |
| FH to their forehand · return +1 | +1.9±3.4 | −0.3 | +2.3 |
| FH to the middle · return +1 | +1.5±2.5 | +0.2 | +1.3 |
| BH to their backhand · return +1 | +1.4±3.0 | +0.1 | +1.3 |
| FH to their backhand · return +1 | +1.2±3.2 | −0.5 | +1.7 |
| BH slice to the middle · rally | +1.0±2.1 | ±0.0 | +1.0 |
Avoid
| Shot | Edge | Own | Theirs |
|---|---|---|---|
| FH volley to their forehand · rally | −7.3±5.8 | −2.6 | −4.7 |
| BH volley to their backhand · rally | −6.7±5.8 | +0.2 | −7.0 |
| BH to their backhand · rally | −4.6±1.9 | −4.3 | −0.2 |
| FH to their backhand · return | −4.2±2.9 | −1.3 | −2.9 |
| FH slice to the middle · return | −4.0±2.3 | −0.9 | −3.1 |
Against Alexei Popyrin-like opponents
| Ben Shelton v | Matches | Serve pts won | Return pts won |
|---|---|---|---|
| All charted opponents | – | 65.5% | 31.9% |
| Players most similar to Alexei Popyrin | 4 | 69.0% | 32.8% |
Similar by tactical fingerprint: Stefanos Tsitsipas, Joao Fonseca, Hubert Hurkacz, Tallon Griekspoor, Zizou Bergs, Thanasi Kokkinakis, Dominic Thiem, Lucas Pouille, Lloyd Harris, Jo Wilfried Tsonga. When two players have rarely met, their records against these lookalikes fill the gap.