2023-10-14 21:34:29
Tennis
“Incomprehensible” – Djokovic joins the ball fight
In the tennis scene, the anger regarding the constant changing of balls on the tour is becoming ever greater. Now Novak Djokovic is also speaking out.
Updated14. October 2023, 11:34 p.m
Novak Djokovic supports the stance of many professional colleagues.
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“I am calling on the ATP to pay for all of my physiotherapy,” said the Portuguese Gastão Elias recently.
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Stan Wawrinka was also annoyed.
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The reason for this was the constantly different tennis balls on the ATP tour.
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Paula Badosa said the balls were also a problem on the women’s tour.
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Daniil Medvedev was already annoyed at the beginning of the year.
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Novak Djokovic now wants concrete measures from the ATP. However, they have so far remained silent on the subject.
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The many different balls on the tennis tour cause dissatisfaction.
Novak Djokovic calls on the ATP to take action.
So far, both the ATP and the WTA have remained silent on the topic.
The frustration over the balls among the tennis professionals goes to the next round. In an interview with the Serbian medium “Sportal”, none other than Novak Djokovic comments on the topic that is currently affecting numerous stars on the tour. “There is definitely a connection between the recurring injuries to the wrists, elbows and shoulders and the ball changes,” explains the 24-time Grand Slam champion.
Djokovic supports the attitude of many professional colleagues and is annoyed that different felt balls are used in different tournaments. For this reason, the Serb demands that the ATP use a standard ball at least for the respective documents.
Djokovic doesn’t understand association silence
According to Djokovic, the balls can at least be varied for the different surfaces. This means that different balls can be used on hard courts than on sand or grass. Within the tournaments of a surface you should only bet on one type of ball. Due to existing and often long-term contracts between tournament organizers and ball manufacturers, such a change is not expected in the near future. Djokovic still wants those responsible at ATP to solve the problem as soon as possible.
However, there has so far been no explanation from the World Tennis Association on the subject. This didn’t escape the attention of “Djoker”. “I haven’t seen that the ATP has issued a statement on this and I don’t understand why they are silent,” says the Serb and adds: “These are things that are incomprehensible to me.” Even compared to 20 minutes, neither the ATP nor the WTA have so far responded to corresponding inquiries.
Women also complain regarding the balls
The WTA is also affected by the problem, as several female professionals also expressed their dissatisfaction with the many rallies. «It’s time for the WTA to think regarding its rallies at tournaments. Having to get used to new balls every week is really hard for many players,” wrote the German Eva Lys recently on Instagram. This following she had to withdraw from the tournament in Seoul due to shoulder problems.
Eva Lys recently had to give up due to injury in Seoul.
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“We have had the same problems at the WTA for years,” Paula Badosa (WTA 56) had previously explained on X (formerly Twitter). The Spaniard had to end her season early in August due to back problems. “We need a change on both sides,” demanded the girlfriend of world number six, Stefanos Tsitsipas. The Greek is also a big opponent of the many ball changes on the tour and at the beginning of the year publicly blamed them for his shoulder injury, which put him out of action for some time.
Heavier balls for more spectacle?
Other professionals such as Stan Wawrinka (ATP 46) and Taylor Fritz (ATP 8) also recently complained for the same reason. The Czech Vasek Pospisil put forward the theory in September that the world associations and tournament organizers deliberately want to slow down the game with heavier balls. This should lead to longer and more spectacular rallies. However, because the balls are heavier and sometimes harder, greater forces act on the wrist and tendons, which can lead to injuries.
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