The ATP Tour issue strong response as US Open men’s withdrawal list hits 14
The US Open has been hit with mass withdrawals at this year’s Grand Slam as the debate surrounding the hectic schedule rumbling on.
23 names are missing from the US Open entry list, with many of the top stars on the ATP Tour opting not to play the New York event this year.
Jannik Sinner leads the withdrawals due to a knee injury and he has been joined by the likes of Joao Fonseca, Jack Draper, Marin Cilic, and Casper Ruud.
Thanasi Kokkinaki became the 14th man to withdraw from the event and it has seen the ATP Tour issues an official response to what is now being called a crisis.
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In a response to Sky Sports Tennis, the governing body said: “Professional tennis is physically demanding and injuries are rarely attributable to a single factor.
“Every case has its own context, shaped by factors including a player’s medical and injury history, match and training load, travel, surface transitions, recovery and playing conditions.”
While the ATP Tour seem to think a number of factors are the cause for the mass amount of injuries ahead of the US Open this year, legendary tennis coach Patrick Mouratoglou has outlined the two factors he believes are the cause.
Speaking to Sky Sports Tennis, the French coach said: “There are many more injuries and this year particularly. I think the two major problems are the change of balls and the body having to adapt not only to the surfaces, not only to the weather conditions, but also the balls and some are heavier, some are softer.
“I think this is harming the body. The second one I can think of is the fact that now the surfaces are much slower than 20 years ago, which pushes the player to play longer rallies, hit the ball harder.
“To hit winners now you have to really go for it and, if you look at the new generation, all of them are hitting the ball extremely hard – and most of them are injured.”
Several players have complained about the balls this season on both the ATP and WTA Tour, including the likes of Emma Raducanu and Daniil Medvedev.
The US Open is the only Grand Slam on the calendar where the men and women play with different balls too.
The women play with a more traditional ball, which most of the North American hardcourt swing plays with, while the men play with a heavier ball at Flushing Meadows.
What players have consistently called for, however, it a consistent ball that is played with throughout the entirety of the 10-month season.
