Aryna Sabalenka can't complain about the playing conditions and the tennis balls currently in use at the Cincinnati Masters, as they both play to her liking.
The Belarusian star spoke to the press following her passage into the semifinal, where she was quizzed on the struggles tennis players undergo to adjust to the playing surfaces in back-to-back weeks and whether the Extra Duty Ball in use this week feels slightly different from Montreal.
Last year, the Western & Southern Open used lighter balls, which attracted negative criticism from some players, including World No. 1 Iga Swiatek, who opined to struggling to control the ball. But it looks like the heavier balls this year have aided Sabalenka's cause rather than Swiatek, as the World No. 2 is able to accelerate with controlled power, making her shots tough to defend against.
"Well, it's just different, completely different surfaces here and Montreal. Like, Montreal is super fast. It's just different. Here, the ball bounce a lot higher. Just super different conditions. Yeah, I mean, it takes a little time to adjust to these conditions, especially if you been playing in Montreal till the last stages of the tournament."
"I don't know. I mean, so far I like these balls. I think for my game it's helping me because my shots are getting even more heavier and even more tough to play against. I don't know. I don't want to complain against these balls (smiling)."
Sabalenka admitted that conditions in Montreal were super fast. By contrast, Cincinnati has been a little slower, with the ball bouncing almost above shoulder height. That calls for extra zip in ground strokes to generate sufficient pace to fire winners. It has certainly worked for Sabalenka, who isn't complaining but was aware of the damage it can do to other players.
"But, yeah, I know some of the players don't really like it because, I mean, it's heavy, it's tough. If your body is not ready to play long matches, not strong enough, then, yeah, it can become an injury. If you ask my opinion, I like it (smiling)."
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