Many a tennis player has complained about fluffed-up balls in the past few years and the ATP finally seems to be doing something about it as they will trial more frequent ball changes.
With the number of wrist, elbow and shoulder injuries increasing among tennis players in recent years, many have attributed it to the balls being used with some saying it’s because the balls deteriorate more quickly.
Others, meanwhile, believe it’s due to the fact that players basically have to adapt to new balls every other week as different tournaments use different balls.
Last year, the likes of Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev and Emma Raducanu all made it clear that they are not impressed with the ball situation and called for change.
Tennis great Djokovic questioned the quality of the balls as he stated: “That’s probably the biggest difference I can notice, compared to maybe 10, 15 years ago. It’s the balls.”
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Alcaraz, who is currently out injured with a serious wrist injury that he sustained at the Barcelona Open, admitted that the constant changing of balls “complicated things”.
“I think last year there were many injuries, many players with elbow or shoulder issues,” he said in an interview in February 2025. “It needs to change. I know they will change it.
“Every week, practically every week, we have different balls, different conditions, so it’s complicated to adapt to them.”
As for the quality of the balls, he stated: “I had good training to adapt, but it was tough. New balls, everything seems to move very fast… and after two or three exchanges, the ball becomes very big and it’s a bit difficult to play aggressively with them.”
Raducanu has also had to deal with wrist injuries in the past as she underwent surgery on both her wrists in May 2023
“I do think the balls are a big challenge for all of us,” she was quoted as saying by The Guardian last October. “The way that they deteriorate is really challenging. I think it gets very fluffy.
“You see a lot of wrist, elbow, shoulder injuries happening now. And it is hard because the dynamic of the points can be different from when they’re new to when they’re old.”
And there is good news for those who have complained, as the ATP appears to have listened and is trying to come up with a solution.
According to Tennis Insider @Parsa_Nemati: “The ATP will trial more frequent ball changes at the Lexington Challenger next month: main draw singles get the first change after 5 games, then every 7 — down from the standard 7, then 9.
“Backed by the Player Advisory Council, it follows player feedback on hard-court ball wear.”
Gill Gross X post
It has also received the support of Tennis Channel analyst Gill Gross as he stated: “I think this change should happen and will happen.”
The post Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz Emma Raducanu’s complaints are finally being addressed by tennis chiefs appeared first on Tennis365.
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