Alexander Zverev takes sly dig at quality of balls used by ATP Tour with blunt comparison to rubber balls in soft tennis

Alexander Zverev Takes Aim at ATP Over Tennis Ball Quality

Alexander Zverev has once again voiced his frustration over the quality of tennis balls used on the ATP Tour, taking a jab at them ahead of his campaign at the Mexican Open.

Zverev, who last played at the Rio Open, reached the quarterfinals before falling to Francisco Comesana in three sets. As he prepares for his next challenge in Acapulco, the World No. 2 took to social media to sarcastically compare soft tennis rubber balls to the ones currently being used on tour.

“Seems like normal 2025 tennis balls to me,” Zverev posted on his Instagram story, reacting to a clip of a soft tennis rally.

Zverev Blames Balls for Increase in Injuries

Zverev’s criticism is not new. He has previously attributed the rise in wrist and elbow injuries among players to the “dead” balls used in tournaments.

“I think the balls are not helping. They’re dead. We’ve been having this discussion for I don’t know how long,” Zverev said at the 2025 United Cup.
“A lot of players nowadays have elbow issues, wrist issues. That wasn’t the case maybe 15, 20 years ago, or 10 years ago when I started.”

Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev Echo Concerns

Zverev is not alone in his frustration. Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev have also criticized the ATP’s handling of the ball situation, particularly the constant changes in ball type from tournament to tournament.

Speaking at the 2025 ABN AMRO Open, Alcaraz expressed his concerns over the increased number of injuries among players.

“I think last year there were many injuries, many players with elbow or shoulder issues. Something needs to change. I know they will change it.
Every week, practically every week, we have different balls, different conditions, so it’s complicated to adapt to them,” Alcaraz said.

With Indian Wells and the European clay-court swing approaching, it remains to be seen whether ATP officials will respond to growing player concerns over the impact of inconsistent and low-quality balls on their performance and health.

Upcoming Matches

• Zverev will begin his Mexican Open campaign against Matteo Arnaldi.
• Alcaraz will return to action at Indian Wells as he defends his title.