Tennis is a very delicate sport, and the racket used by each professional player remains the same for a period of time, such as the brand and model of the racket and string, and the tension of the string are basically fixed, so as to get a consistent hitting feeling and maintain a stable performance.
In addition to the racket, another factor that affects the feel of hitting the ball is tennis. Unfortunately, players can keep their racket parameters the same, but they don't have a say in what kind of tennis they use.
Players have long complained about the tennis balls used on the tour, and the tennis balls used at almost every tournament are different. Although tennis governing bodies have clear technical standards for tennis, there are still differences in the tennis balls produced by each manufacturer, which is an inextricable problem for professional athletes who pursue consistency.
During last year's U.S. Open, Fritz complained in a post, "I've been dealing with wrist pain since the U.S. Open series, and we've played three different tennis balls in three weeks. ”
Fritz blamed the tennis ball he used for his wrist problems, believing that having to change the tennis ball at every stop was the culprit in the wrist pain.
Fritz's troubles are not unique. Medvedev also complained about the Hyde tennis used in the tournament during the China Open last year, "I feel that this kind of tennis is bigger than other balls and is a little softer. With such a ball, it is almost impossible for us to score a winning point, and we often get stuck in a long and long tie. ”
Alcaraz also shared a similar feeling to Medvedev, with the Spaniard expressing more understanding and frustration, "It's a tough thing, but tennis players have to get used to it. The tennis balls used are different, so the feeling of hitting the ball is different at each stop. When we arrive at a new venue, we all ask, what kind of ball is used here? ”
Alcaraz's statement revealed the reality that each tournament would be played with a different tennis ball, and the players would have to passively accept it.
For example, the four Grand Slams that we are familiar with use are four different types of tennis. Dunlop tennis is used for the Australian Open, Babelis tennis is used for the French Open, Schlesinger is used for Wimbledon, and Wilson is used for the US Open. Before last year, Wilson tennis at the U.S. Open was even divided into men and women, with women playing slightly lighter tennis.
Pictured above are the two types of tennis that were used in the US Open series, with the left for the men's and the right for the women.
The four Grand Slams are played on different courts, so it's understandable to use different tennis balls. For example, Wimbledon has always used Slesinger tennis, which is said to be moisture-proof and more suitable for use on wet grass courts. The French Open is a clay court, and the current Broadberry tennis does not need to be considered too much about moisture.
As far as my personal feeling is concerned, the surface of a freshly opened Schlesinger tennis ball seems to be coated with a layer of oil, which is slightly smoother to the touch than other tennis balls, so as to achieve the effect of moisture resistance. After comparison, I found that the newly opened Slesinger tennis ball will not get wet quickly and become heavier and heavier when playing in rainy days, at least the progress of getting wet and heavy is indeed slower than that of other brands of tennis balls.
If Wimbledon and the French Open are different tennis balls because they have different courts, then the Australian Open and the US Open, both hard courts, have no good reason to choose different tennis.
But the reality is that these two hard-court Grand Slams have never used the same tennis ball. For example, before the start of the Australian Open in January 2022, the Australian Open signed a five-year cooperation agreement with Dunlop. As soon as the news was announced, defending champion Rafael Nadal openly expressed his dissatisfaction, "The tournament says that this kind of ball is very good, but there is no doubt that the quality of the ball is very poor, and after playing for a while, it loses pressure, and it will be more difficult to pull the topspin." Wawrinka agrees.
In a tennis match, a new ball is played after 7 innings, and then every 9 innings. Everyone knows that the new ball has more air pressure and flies faster than the old one, which obviously has an impact on the player's hitting strategy and hitting the ball.
Let's talk about the US Open. Wilson's tennis has long been used in the U.S. Open, and the U.S. Open has a wide influence in the North American hard court season, including Toronto, Montreal, Cincinnati and other tournaments, but there are still some differences between them and the U.S. Open, which is why Fritz complains.
In the face of the complaints and cries of the players, the relevant governing bodies are not indifferent. In fact, the ATP is also working to promote uniform tennis on the tour, with the organisation's recommended "official ball" being the Dunlop Australian Open, but almost no tournaments use it.
The reason for this is simple. Which tennis ball to use is actually a business, and the tournament has the right to decide which tennis manufacturer to cooperate with, and they will not only get free tennis from the manufacturer, but also receive a sponsorship income. In this way, it is difficult to unify the ball used in tennis events, and in the final analysis, it is the interests of the relevant parties behind it.
Since it is a game, there is a possibility that the situation will change.
According to the Associated Press on January 9, ATP President Gordonzi said they have held discussions with the WTA and are ready to work together to promote as much uniformity as possible with the ball in the game, "The tournament schedule and the tennis balls used are high on our agenda, and we must evolve and adapt to the needs of modern play, especially in terms of player health and fan experience." (Home of Tennis Author: Yun Cirrus Yunshu).