By Erik Gudris | @atntennis | Friday, August 11, 2023
Daniil Medvedev believes the tours need to find a way to standardize tennis balls at each event.
World No. 3 Daniil Medvedev feels one of the biggest issues still not properly addressed on tour is that so many tournaments use different tennis balls every week.
Medvedev brought up the issue after his straight sets 7-6(7), 7-5 loss to Alex de Minaur in the Toronto ATP 1000 Masters quarterfinals.
While the former US Open champion gave full credit to his opponent, he felt that the balls used during the match wore out too quickly, making them slow and difficult to play with.
“First of all, he played well. I mean, I felt it was not a bad match. I definitely could have done better to win the first set. I mean, 5-1 on the tie-break, and then 6-4, 5-3 serving for it,” Medvedev said after his match. “So could have done better. But in general, I said before the tournament, I feel like the balls now on tour, I don't know why, but they get slower everywhere.
“So every match I saw, and we saw a lot of sensations, in my opinion, it's because when the ball is slower and it gets dead after two games or whatever. Like, second set, we played, I think, long games. When they gave us new balls, we played two long games, and the balls were done,” Medvedev added.
Medvedev also feels that some players, and not him, have the power to hit through balls once they lose their feeling.
“In general, I think it brings the level closer of all the players just because it's tough to hit them. So there are couple of players that can, that are really strong, and they, let's call it, penetrate the ball. I don't know if it's a good word. Like Carlos (Alcaraz). Like (Alejandro) Davidovich, actually. I think that's why he's in the semis. I think Casper Ruud can do it. So some players.
And the other, like me, I don't have this power to generate easily on a slow ball with a slow ball. And so today, like, with the previous two opponents, even if they're really strong, it was enough to, let's say, one, one, and one, control the ball, and they were in trouble. With Alex, it's not enough. You need to go through the ball and you need to attack it. And every time I tried, I was not doing anything. And so had to play these long rallies.”
The issue of balls losing their durability at events is nothing new.
At this year’s Australian Open, many players complained that the event’s ball went flat too quickly or “fluffed up” even after just one game. This usually leads to longer rallies during points and players unable to utilize spin on their shots.
Rafael Nadal, at this year’s Australian Open, said this about the tournament’s balls.
“After a couple of hits, the ball lose the pressure. It’s more difficult to hit the right spin,” Nadal said and added “They say (it) is the same, but the ball is worse quality, without a doubt, I think it’s a ball that doesn’t get the same spin as usual.”
On the Australian Open, Medvedev said, “After Australian Open, for sure a lot of players discussed. Australian Open was a problem. After this, I don't feel like it's a big deal on the tour. It's just my general feeling, and again, I'm not at all saying this should not be the case. I'm just saying how it feels to me that probably I mean, almost all the tournaments, so different balls. I don't know if it's the court maybe that is different so it makes this ball get older.
But here, same. Like, on the practice courts first few days, we're hitting with my coach. You hit, okay, not to exaggerate, maybe 20 balls middle, and you take the ball and you're like, Wow, it's done.”
Different tournaments using very different balls from different brand likely won’t change anytime soon. Tournaments often enter into long term agreement with specific brands.
While the Australian Open uses Dunlop, the upcoming US Open has a long running arrangement with Wilson.
Speaking of the US Open, controversy has been with that event for some time as the women’s event has used a lighter balls than the men’s event which uses an extra duty felt ball. That could be changing however this year, as some WTA players have indicated that this year’s US Open will have both men’s and women’s events using the extra duty ball.
Jessica Pegula, last week in Washington,DC, said she looks forward to the change.
"Like I said, the balls here (Washington DC) are different than what we're going to be playing with (in New York). I felt like even though it's challenging and I'm trying to figure out how to get used to them and play through it this week, at the same time, we are going to be switching balls next week so it's not a huge deal.
Pegula added, “It will be different obviously for the girls playing with an Extra Duty ball. I'm curious to see how that will maybe, I don't know, be different this year than what we are used to the last few years. But, I mean, yeah, I think we are used to adapting, and I think that's the thing is you just have to adapt to the conditions and not let that overtake your game and frustrate you to where it's affecting everything else.”
Photo Credit: Rob Newell/Camera Sport