Alexander Zverev Slams Tennis Balls Used And Blames Injuries On Them
News
The new tennis season began a few days ago, but the balls used are already being discussed after Alexander Zverev claimed they were causing him elbow soreness at the United Cup before he pulled out of the quarterfinal.
Some players feel that the quality of balls given to players in matches is lower than a few years ago because they quickly lose speed and bounce, making it challenging to hit through the court effectively.
Daniil Medvedev passionately discussed the issue at last year's ATP Finals. The 2021 US Open champion stated that the balls used made it more difficult because they become slow after a few games.
He argues that Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner benefit from them because they can better generate pace with the slower balls. Medvedev also said his enjoyment of the game had lessened because of the issue.
After Medvedev's comments, Zverev was asked about the balls at the ATP Finals. Using his experience on the Players' Council, the German explained how the manufacturers lowered the quality of the balls as a cost-cutting measure after the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, not every player agrees with those complaining about the balls. Casper Ruud, usually a mild-mannered and quietly spoken person, slammed those criticizing them and said they should get on with playing and focus on their games.
Zverev hoped to help Team Germany defend the United Cup after its dramatic triumph against Team Poland in last year's final. That seemed realistic after the Germans qualified for the quarterfinals as the top team in its group.
Unfortunately, Zverev did not play in the quarterfinal against Kazakhstan. His replacement, Daniel Masur, lost to Alexander Shevchenko, and Siegemund lost to Elena Rybakina, confirming Team Germany's exit from the 2025 United Cup.
Zverev was confirmed to have missed the tie with Kazakhstan because of a bicep strain. That is almost certainly linked to the pain he was having in his elbow during the group matches against Brazil and China.
Zverev discussed those issues in his press conferences after the Brazil-China ties. He briefly mentioned the elbow problem after Team Germany defeated the Brazilians 3-0.
"I had a little bit of an elbow issue. I think my speeds still need to go up a little bit. I felt comfortable today for sure. For first match I thought it was decent."
Zverev's comments about the balls were more direct after the tie against China. The two-time Grand Slam runner-up made it clear that the balls were causing elbow and wrist issues in a way that did not happen 10, 15, and 20 years ago.
"It's quite sore. I'm working on it every day. It just is what it is. I think the balls are not helping. They're dead. We've been having this discussion for I don't know how long."(smiling)
"A lot of players nowadays have elbow issues, wrist issues, because that kind of subject, which wasn't the case maybe 15, 20 years ago, or 10 years ago when I started. I'm working on it. Hopefully it's getting better every day."
