Summary
The article discusses Roger Federer's comments on the uniformity of tennis court speeds, suggesting it benefits top players like Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. It examines whether slower courts are being used intentionally to influence match outcomes and provides some data on court speeds from recent tournaments. The piece also highlights technological factors affecting how the game is played.
Key Facts
- Roger Federer suggested that tournament directors prefer slow courts to increase chances of finals featuring top players like Alcaraz and Sinner.
- Alex Zverev agreed with Federer's observation about slow courts benefiting certain players.
- Alcaraz and Sinner met in the finals of several major tournaments this year across different court surfaces.
- Court speeds have become more uniform over the past 20 years.
- Data shows that courts are slightly faster now compared to 2017, except in specific cases like the Shanghai tournament.
- Tennis technology, such as ball and string innovations, affects how players perform on different surfaces.
- The ATP, which is a men's professional tennis organization, ensures consistent use of balls across events to manage court speed variations.
- Official technology now mandates all ATP events to use systems that cover court lines for accurate 'out' calls.
