"I was trying to recover" – Taylor Fritz suffers Dallas Open injury after Carlos Alcaraz warns other players in Rotterdam

Taylor Fritz advanced to the second round of the Dallas Open with a commanding victory over France’s Arthur Rinderknech.

While the 6-4, 6-2 win in just 66 minutes appeared to be a routine victory, the American later revealed that he was dealing with an injury caused by an unexpected change in tennis balls.

Carlos Alcaraz has also recently voiced concerns about injuries linked to frequent ball changes, an issue that has sparked discussions among professional players.

Fritz arrived in Dallas as one of the tournament favourites, and his opening-round performance reinforced that status.

His dominant serving was a key factor in his straight-sets victory. Fritz fired 11 aces, won 93% of his first-serve points, and did not face a single break point throughout the match.

A crucial break late in the first set allowed him to take control, setting the tone for the rest of the contest.

Following his win, Fritz reflected on his performance.

"It's nice to go out and take care of my serve, find a couple breaks and win four and two," Fritz said.

"I feel like I served a pretty good percentage of first serves, which were quality. I was hitting close to lines, mixing it up well, but I was not giving him a chance to figure out where I was serving or get a good hit on the returns. That was a big key to the match."

Fritz will now face Denis Shapovalov in the second round.

In an interview with Tennis Channel, Fritz disclosed that he had been dealing with an injury leading up to his first-round match.

"I was trying to recover a bit from an injury; I hurt myself before," he said.

"It was my oblique; it was caused by the balls that were supposed to be the same as the ones we were using here and the ones we used in Australia, but they just weren't."

"They were like the deadest balls ever, so I'm just throwing my whole body into every shot I hit, and I think I maybe slightly tore something. But I was rehabbing it and trying to get it to play tonight, and it felt pretty good, so I'm happy."

Taylor Fritz is not alone in highlighting issues with frequent ball changes on the ATP Tour.

Carlos Alcaraz has also expressed concerns about the impact of ball variations on injuries, pointing out a rise in elbow and shoulder problems 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," Alcaraz said.

"Every week, practically every week, we have different balls and conditions, so adapting to them is complicated. However, we are here to give our best and give the best of ourselves."

"I have not had physical problems because of it so far; I work every day to be in shape, and right now, I'm fine."

As Fritz continues his Dallas Open campaign, all eyes will be on whether his injury remains a concern and if he can secure another title to add to his resume.