Light balls, heavy balls: the fight for equality reaches the tennis ball

Light balls, heavy balls
Struggle for equality reaches the tennis ball

8/31/2022, 8:39 p.m

The US Open is already in full swing and with the big tennis tournament there is also a discussion about why different balls are actually used in the women’s competition than in the men’s.

There is no other Grand Slam tournament like this, only the US Open: different tennis balls for women and men. Much to the displeasure of the stars of the scene, such as world number one Iga Swiatek, who, even before the start in New York, criticized the yellow felt balls, which would “fly like crazy”.

Christopher Kas, coach of the only remaining Germans in the tournament, Jule Niemeier, revealed the reason for this on ARD: “The women’s ball plays a little easier, is less heavy on the racket and flies a little easier through the air.” As a result, the players “sometimes have the feeling that the ball is more difficult to control,” explained the coach.

Kas’s words match Swiatek’s point of view, who revealed: “I’ve heard a lot of players complain about it because we have different balls than the men.” The fact that these are lighter is unnecessary. “We have a really strong game today. It’s not like it was ten years ago,” said the Pole.

Former Spanish tennis pro Alex Corretja took the same line at Eurosport. Women these days are “hitting so hard that they need a little more control,” said the Spaniard, adding: “I think they should consider that maybe they’re just going to play with the same ball for next season.”

Same tennis balls at the US Open 2023?

While Inside the Games portal believes that Emma Raducanu’s win last year was only due to the lighter balls, Craig Tyzzer, the former coach of Ashleigh Barty, who retired earlier this year, explained that the Australian won the US Open because of it of the different balls and their play could never have won.

The United States Tennis Association explained in a statement that, despite all the criticism, there were no changes or the same balls for everyone this year: “Decisions about the balls have to be made many months in advance so that we can organize the almost 100,000 competition balls to be used at the US Open.” US sporting goods manufacturer Wilson equips both men and women with the balls.

Amy Binder, spokeswoman for the WTA, said via AP that she would “continue to look at” the topic and continue to discuss it with both the players and those responsible. Swiatek had already announced that she would “put a little more pressure” on to achieve her goal.