Subscribe
Follow Us
WTA world no. 1 Iga Swiatek made her opinion of the balls being used at the US Open known on Friday. Speaking to reporters at the Western and Southern Open, Swiatek went off on the ‘horrible' US Open balls that will be used at the upcoming tourney in Flushing Meadows, per ESPN.
“I don't know why they are different than men's ones,” Swiatek said on Wednesday. “I don't know, like, 15 years ago probably women had some elbow injuries because the balls were heavier and they changed them to women's balls, but right now we are so physically well prepared that I don't think it would happen. Plus we can't get those balls in Europe, or actually, when we buy them at store, they are totally different than the tournament balls, so when I'm practicing with US Open balls at home [in Poland], I'm practicing with men's ones …
“I feel, it's really hard to control [the women's balls], but everybody has same conditions, so we are trying to deal with that. I don't get why they are different, honestly.”
Iga Swiatek said that the US Open balls, which are different than the ones that will be used by male players, are “hard to control.”
The WTA star has even had to practice with the tennis balls being used by the men at her home in Poland. That's right, she has been unable to get access to the balls she will be using at the US Open.
As Swiatek pointed out, Flushing Meadows made the change to a heavier ball years ago, with women getting injured because of it. The WTA star feels that wouldn't happen now, though.
So why doesn't the US Open, the only tourney that uses different balls for men and women, make it easier on everyone and use the same tennis balls for every player?
