Ruud on the ball controversy: "That's the beauty of the game".

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Clément Gehl

le 13/11/2024 à 09h55

1 min to read

ATP Finals Medvedev Ruud

After his victory over Alcaraz (6-1, 7-5), Casper Ruud was asked about ball changes and Medvedev's statements on the subject. The Norwegian was more measured: "Some players prefer Dunlop balls, others Wilson or Tecnifibre.

If we only kept one type of ball, it would be unfair to those who prefer Tecnifibre balls. It gives less of a chance to a player who prefers Wilson balls to Dunlop balls. That's the beauty of the game.

Personally, I can say out loud that I don't like Penn balls. Fortunately for me, they're only used at Indian Wells. That's not why I'm going to ask the tournament to change them, because whoever likes these balls, good for them.

For me, it's a challenge. On indoor hard courts, when it's rough and a bit grainy, the balls swell up a bit too much. It's difficult, because these days, all the players rip the ball out. Balls don't last as long as they used to. The balls are sometimes too soft and too big.

However, he admitted that these regular ball changes can be problematic: "I understand that if you string together a series of four tournaments on the same continent and they all use different balls, it's difficult."

Ruud will play Zverev this Thursday evening, in a bid to confirm his fine victory over Alcaraz last Monday.