Daniil Medvedev backs Novak Djokovic on big issue as he sends ominous warning

Daniil Medvedev has supported Novak Djokovic by once again voicing his concerns about the issue of different tennis balls being used at different events on the ATP Tour. 

The world No 3 has admitted he is worried about having shoulder pain “for the rest of my life” as a result and expressed his hope that a solution can be found.

Medvedev was highly critical of the Head tennis ball being used recently in tournaments in China, while several players suggested that the change of balls from one event to the next is contributing to shoulder and wrist injuries.

The 27-year-old is competing at the Vienna Open this week, where he defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 7-6(6) in the semi-finals on Saturday. He will face either Jannik Sinner or Andrey Rublev in the final of the ATP 500 tournament, where he is the defending champion.

Following his quarter-final win over compatriot Karen Khachanov in Austria, Medvedev revisited the ball change problem and warned it could have a serious physical impact for players if not addressed.

“You hit the ball ten times and you have the feeling that every time it becomes bigger, bigger and bigger. It swells a lot. I don’t want to feel shoulder pain for the rest of my life. I hope a solution can be found,” asserted the Russian.

In an interview with Sportal earlier in October, world No 1 Djokovic took aim at the sport’s authorities, including the ATP, for their inaction and silence on the matter.

“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,” said the Serbian.

“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.

“When you have tennis players from the top who are trying to reach you in public and say, ‘Hey, let’s talk about that topic,’ you have to make a statement, address them and say, ‘Okay, we understand, let’s sit at the table, let’s talk.’

“I don’t understand why there is silence from their side. I hope they will realise that there simply must be direct communication. Likewise, it should be publicly announced that they have received this information re working on it, in the sense that they will see how they can find a solution that is acceptable. Silence will not change anything.

“Let’s see if there is some process where questions are asked to the players and responses are sought from a larger group of players, from a hundred players, to see what everyone thinks, to see the consensus. There must be some activation, I don’t understand why there is silence from their side.”

Djokovic is set to return to action at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Paris next week, having last competed at the Davis Cup group stage in Malaga last month.

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