Casper Ruud blasts rivals for ‘making drama’ after Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev complaints
Casper Ruud has hit out at tennis stars who have complained about different tennis balls being used at different events on the tour.
The world No 8 asserted that he is “getting so tired” of players discussing the issue and claimed they are creating “drama out of nothing.”
Novak Djokovic, Iga Swiatek, Daniil Medvedev, Taylor Fritz and Emma Raducanu have all questioned the lack of consistency with the balls used at tournaments.
Medvedev has also been the most vocal and regular critic of the quality of balls since expressing concern about having “shoulder pain for the rest of my life” last year.
During his second round match against Thiago Seyboth Wild at the Shanghai Masters earlier this month, Medvedev called for the tournament supervisor to raise his grievances.
“These balls are not good enough for professional tennis,” the world No 5 said. “This is one of the biggest tournaments in the world and the balls are destroyed after five games. No pressure at all.”
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Following the match, Medvedev argued this type of ball helps Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, but not other players.
“I think it basically favours people who can benefit power from dead balls. Some have better quality with this. Some don’t,” the Russian assessed.
“Actually the two best players at doing this, they’re already the best players in the world, and I’m sure they would be without the balls, but with these balls, they’re the only players who can generate crazy power. It’s Jannik and Carlos. It gives them an extra edge.”
Speaking on the Nothing Major podcast, Ruud took issue with such complaints — and his comment about players raising the issue to umpires suggests Medvedev is someone he is referring to.
“You see players complain about the balls all the time,” the Norwegian said. “I’m getting so tired of it. Come on. Just play.
“For me, what’s funny is some players come like five days in advance to practice. They string like 28 rackets to get the right tension. Then they come to the fourth round and start complaining about the balls.
“But it’s been the same balls for the past nine days. What’s the point of bringing it up now to the umpire? Like what is he gonna change? What’s the point? Just to make drama out of nothing.”
In October last year, Djokovic criticised the sport’s authorities, including the ATP, for their inaction and silence on the matter of ball changes.
“There is certainly a connection between frequent injuries of the wrist, elbow, and shoulder with ball changes. I am absolutely in favour of choosing one ball with which we will play all ATP tournaments,” the Serbian told Sportal.
“It is different and more difficult with the Grand Slams because each of the biggest tournaments we play, negotiates separately which sponsor they will have for the balls, but this also happens on the ATP tour.
“Every tournament has the right to negotiate. However, we simply have to find a way to unify, so that in each category on the ATP tour we have one ball to play with, depending on the surface.
“Sometimes that change of balls happens three times in three weeks depending on where we play, and it affects the health of the players and the joints themselves.
“In that sense, I support the players complaining and asking the ATP to find a way to resolve it. They have to find a solution. I didn’t see that the ATP issued any statement regarding the player’s complaints, and these are things that are incomprehensible to me.”
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