ATP and WTA players, like brothers and sisters, have many things in common. During 2025 three problems topped the “Unhappy with…” list… The balls they were forced to use, the speed of the courts and the mentally/physically destructive tournament to tournament schedule…
Contrary to the claims of tour officials, who have long expressed an understanding of these concerns, the general feeling among the players was nothing more is being done but, “… then the continuing kicking of the can down the road…”
Going back to my college days when I was pursuing a Psychology degree, the importance of “Individual differences…” was stressed… and it is certainly the case with today’s players… none more so than tennis balls, court speeds and match scheduling…
After reading through my “tennis balls”, “court speed” and “scheduling” files I compiled the past year, here are a few comments I found in the stories…
Felix Auger-Aliassime, once again voiced frustration in this case, at the Rolex Paris Masters about the tennis ball fluctuation tournament to tournament…
Novak Djokovic, Taylor Fritz, Daniil Medvedev, and Alexander Zverev, complained about the inconsistencies that exist and how “heavy” balls were leading to shoulder, arm and wrist mysteries.
At the China Open, Medvedev lamented that the balls fluffed up so much it was like trying to hit “grapefruits” for winners…
I must interject that after reading some of the offerings I immediately recalled the number of Alcaraz-Sinner matches I had watched and how I marveled at the “Usain Bolt-like” speed combined with the ultramarathoner fitness they exhibited…all before realizing “my eyes deceived me…” and though they are phenomenal athletes, who still have untapped shot making ability…the balls and courts enabled them to “step ahead of the rest…”
Further, they were “clocking” shots, knocking the cover off the ball, but it seemed to take a “few more ‘goes’…” before a winner was realized.
Before the Laver Cup began in San Francisco in September, Roger Federer said he would like to see the all-black colored court that was played on become quicker… voicing the desire of many players about the courts tour wide.
In an October 9th story, Peter Bodo, an accomplished tennis journalist, said, “…Near the end of a long, live broadcast of Andy Roddick’s Served podcast from the Laver Cup event, tournament founder Roger Federer enthusiastically embraced Roddick’s suggestion that courts had been slowed down to the detriment of the game.
“Federer then lit the tinder, suggesting that tournament directors like slow courts because it increases the odds that Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz (preferably both) will arrive in the final. Alexander Zverev heaped fuel on the ensuing fire soon, thereafter, revealing how he ‘hated’ how uniform surfaces had become, and he endorsed Federer’s theory of favoritism.”
Responses were close to “instantaneous…” From the China Open in Beijing, Sinner said that he and Alcaraz didn’t make decisions about court speeds…they make the effort to adapt to a situation that changes week to week.
Rick Macci, the fabled US tennis coach responsible for the development of a cascade of players, didn’t pull his punches saying on Twitter, “Zverev and others are chirping saying the directors adjust the court speeds to favor Alcaraz/Sinner. This is another level of petty because they are another level. You just need to get better on any court speed then it does not matter. RIGHT”.
At the Cincinnati Open, Jessica Pegula and Ellen Perez, having talked with many other WTA players, expressed the “group’s’” unhappiness with the balls used during the hard court season pointing out that they fluffed quickly, changed week to week… were affecting play…occasionally the seemed “dead” and were contributing to injuries…the overall opinion about the hard balls, they were a “Bad batch…”
After years of being a “Bercy Institution”, the Rolex Paris Masters moved to the Paris La Défense Arena. Prior to the transition, Tournament Director Cédric Pioline explained that the plan was to slow the court conditions compared to the quickness that defined the previous tournament location.
Alexander Bublik, who is never shy about expressing an opinion, said of the new site, “I think it is by far the slowest indoor hard court I’ve played on in my life.”
Stressing that there is never consensus, Poline noted, “It was our intention to slow it down. The players have noticed and seem satisfied, which is important for us…”
In September, Jack Draper was forced by a left humerus injury to end his competitive year. While rehabbing in October he said on X, “Injuries are going to happen… we are pushing our bodies to do things they aren’t supposed to in elite sport.
“We have so many incredible younger guys on the Tour right now, and I’m proud to be a part of that. However, the tour and the calendar have to adapt if any of us are going to achieve some sort of longevity…”
His comment was a gospel Alcaraz preached throughout the year who said the schedule with all the mandatory tournaments was “really tight”… For some time Świątek has been the “WTA Tour schedule is crazy…” clarion.
(At the end of December, Draper explained on social media that he was continuing to have problems with his shoulder and would not be going to Melbourne, with his rehabbing continuing into the spring.)
In 2026 will any of these problems be addressed? Hopefully all will be more than discussed and sent to a committed and advances will be made… But given both tour’s administrative history… a quote from boxing legend Muhammadi Ali is fitting…Before one of his fights with Joe Frasier, he said, “Frazier’s got two chances… Slim and None…and Slim just left town…”
The ATP wants the “Names in the Game” to play at least 18 events, including the Slams and the Masters. In 2025, Alcaraz played 16 tournaments and Djokovic participated in 13… leaving one to ask: Exactly how concerned is the organization about players’ physical and mental health?
Title photo by Simone Kemler