Stefanos Tsitsipas not a fan of the ATP’s towel rack innovation

Stefanos Tsitsipas believes it is the job of the ball kid “to provide towels and balls for the players”.
As usual, the ATP is using the Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan to trial several innovations and the towel rack at the side of the court is one of them as it will “remove the onus on ball kids to handle towels”.
The move also came on the back of Spaniard Fernando Verdasco copping flak on social media after he snapped at a ball boy for not handing him his towel quickly enough.
Tsitsipas and his fellow Next Gen competitors were the first to make use of the towel racks on Tuesday, but the Greek is unimpressed by the innovation.
“One thing I didn’t like that much was the towel thing. I always had to run for the towel, always had it in my mind when I was playing,” he is quoted as saying by Telegraph Sport.
“When you play at a high level, you have the ball kids give you the towels, so it’s a bit unusual to not have that when you play a match.
“I think having the towels whenever you need it, it’s very helpful. It’s one thing less that you have to think about. So I believe to be playing your best game you don’t need to think about whether you’re going to take your towel now or later.
“You can just call the ball kid. I think the ball kid, it’s their job to provide towels and balls for the players. Somehow they need to function because they make our job easier if they do this.”
More from Tennis365:
Next Gen ATP Finals betting preview: 9/4 Stefanos Tsitsipas to turn on the style in Milan
Comment: The WWE may be coveting Serena Williams, but tennis needs her more
Andy Murray adds another ATP 250 event in France to his schedule
Injury forces Rafael Nadal out of ATP Finals, Novak Djokovic to finish year as No 1
Comment: Alexander Zverev needs to stop pleading for patience and start seizing his opportunity
Latest
-
News
Andy Murray set for Rotterdam second-round clash with world No 8 Andrey Rublev
Murray and Rublev’s only other meeting was in 2017.
-
ATP Tour
Novak Djokovic unlikely to return to action before clay season as there ‘is no need to take any risks’
Novak Djokovic unlikely to feature at the Miami Open.
-
Tennis Top 10
Top 10 oldest No 1 ATP players: Novak Djokovic now the second oldest No 1, but will he catch Roger Federer?
Roger Federer currently holds the record.
-
Australian Open
Goran Ivanisevic slams media for ‘thrashing’ Novak Djokovic, rating 2021 Australian Open as his ‘sweetest’
Goran Ivanisevic takes aim at the media.
-
WTA Tour
Ashleigh Barty pulls out of Dubai tournament, but hopes to defend Miami Open title
Ashleigh Barty won’t be travelling to the Middle East.
-
ATP Tour
Roger Federer to skip Miami Open as he opts to ‘slowly work his way back’ following injury
Roger Federer won’t feature at the Miami Open.
-
ATP Tour
‘I’m playing for my career’ – Honest Andy Murray admits retirement question is lingering
Andy Murray fought back to beat Robin Haase in Rotterdam.
-
News
Andy Murray hits back to win first round match against Robin Haase in Rotterdam
The former world No 1 finished strongly.
-
ATP Tour
Battling Andy Murray shows his old fighting spirit to beat Robin Haase in Rotterdam
Andy Murray fought back from a set down.
-
ATP Tour
Daniil Medvedev closing in on career milestone as he returns to action this week
Daniil Medvedev hits the top two in ATP Rankings.