Alcaraz Adresses 'Grapefruit-Like' Ball Situation Amid Further Injury Controversies

| by Evita Mueller

Carlos Alcaraz has weighed in on the debate surrounding the tennis balls used on the ATP Tour, which makes it very hard for players to adjust.

Daniil Medvedev was the first to comment on the tennis balls used across the ATP Tour, and currently at the 2023 China Open in Beijing, admitting after his win over Alex de Minaur that hitting a winner with them is impossible, comparing balls to grapefruits.

Because of that, the rallies are really long, which makes the match longer as well. Medvedev also repeated his comments from earlier in the year regarding the balls possibly being the culprit behind an increase in player's injuries.

The highest-ranked player at the event, Carlos Alcaraz, was asked about the tennis balls following his win over Lorenzo Musetti, and the 20-year-old Spaniard confirmed that it's tricky to always adjust to different balls.

I felt it since the first practice that I did here in Beijing. It is something tough but the tennis player has to used to that. They change balls in every tournament or almost in every tournament is a different ball. You have to get used to that.

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Players are not fans of this ball policy and have been speaking up more and more often, especially as wrist issues continue to rise among them. According to Alcaraz, it also makes it tougher to prepare because you never know what kind of tennis ball you're going to get.

It’s kind of different feeling when you are coming into a tournament, is like: What is going to be the ball? It’s a question that I think every player is asking themself about the balls. Here (at the China Open) in just one game, two games, the ball becomes different from the new ones. It’s kind of different play, and you have to get used to that.

It didn't impact the Spaniard much as he was able to win both of his matches, but he would still like consistency. All players would.

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