Medvedev then Zverev, ball alarm at the ATP Finals: "Players' health at risk"
Daniil had already complained in recent months about their quality, the latest outburst right in Turin. And the German confirms: "Since the pandemic they have gotten worse, they have become much slower"
Slower and heavier balls, Zverev's accusation
Turin, 12 November 2024 – Tournament after tournament, case you find. And in Turin the 'breaks out'gate ball': Before Medvedev and now also Zverev they had something to say about the little yellow spheres with which they put on a show at every match.
At the centre of everything, beyond the performance on the pitch, there are above all the long-term effects on players. “The topic of tennis balls is an important one. I went into research mode a bit and asked the companies that produce them for information. Since the pandemic, they have gotten worse, they have become much slower,” Zverev explained. “That's why many players now they have elbow problems and others have wrist problems.”
The explanation, according to the German number 2 in the world, lies in the materials. "The reason is that the manufacturing companies have tried to cut costs and now they are using a different rubber material, which makes tennis balls between the 30% and 60% slower on average than before Covid. What happens now with tennis balls is that the air and pressure decreases because the material doesn't hold them inside. They fly very fast in the air for the first two, three meters, then they slow down."
“I have no reason to complain,” Zverev concludes. “I am number 2 in the world. I had a great season. I’m not complaining about the results. I just think that in the long run the health of the players will be a big problem with the tennis balls we have at the moment.”
Those who complained, to the point of saying: "I don't feel pleasure anymore in being on the field", is Daniel Medvedev. The Russian had already expressed his opinion on the weight of the balls in previous tournaments. “Now everyone can play with me and lengthen exchanges – he said disconsolately after the defeat suffered in the first round against Fritz -. Every match is a fight, every training is a fight, tactics matter less. I am tired of fighting against something that does not depend on me."
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