Emma Raducanu joined a number of other professional tennis players in criticizing the inconsistency in the types of tennis balls used in various tournaments.
Currently, tournament organizers can choose which ball to use and ball selection is often made due to agreements with certain sponsors. However, the quality of the balls in several tournaments, including at the BNP Paribas Open, Indian Wells 2024 season, has received criticism from a number of tennis players, including Swiss tennis veteran Stan Wawrinka who raised the issue against the tournament director at Indian Wells, Tommy Haas via social media.
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Tennis players have mentioned the potential for wrist injuries that can occur due to substandard equipment and the British national is certainly familiar with the injury after undergoing surgery on both wrists last season.
The 2021 US Open champion explained that using heavy balls, such as those used at Indian Wells, can cause complications and outlined how these problems can be exacerbated for players like him who are still recovering from injuries.
“The conditions are very different in Indian Wells compared to Miami. It’s very humid here. The balls are very heavy. “The ball is different, which I think is not very good for any tennis player’s wrist, but especially mine,” said Emma Raducanu.
“I honestly think it would be really bad for us, the way we have to change the ball every week and especially when you have had surgery.”
The inconsistency in the balls used also occurred last season, when Novak Djokovic discussed the problem with ATP president Andrea Gaudenzi last season. Additionally, Taylor Fritz outlined how frequent changes to the different types of balls used led to his wrist injury in October 2023.
The British tennis player’s argument is in line with other professional tennis players and he questions why tennis is set up so differently compared to other sports.
“I know that many tennis players also struggle with wrist problems. “I don’t understand why every other sport is almost the same, but in the world of tennis it’s different week by week,” said Raducanu.
