Aryna Sabalenka shares shocking tennis ball comparison after Carlos Alcaraz raises concerns
WTA
Aryna Sabalenka has joined Carlos Alcaraz in commenting on the wear and tear of tennis balls. The World No. 1 has had a fantastic start to the season, winning 11 consecutive matches before falling to Madison Keys in the Australian Open final.
Although the Belarusian was disappointed not to claim her third consecutive title in Melbourne, she remains comfortably at the top of the rankings. As she prepares for the first WTA 1000 event of the season at the Doha Open, she once again emerges as the tournament favourite.
As Sabalenka gets ready to return to the court, she has encountered an issue that her ATP Tour colleagues have also raised. The World No. 1 shared a photo on social media showing the stark contrast between new tennis balls and those used for less than half an hour.
"25 minutes v new," she wrote on X. "Crazy difference."
25min vs new
— Sabalenka Aryna (@SabalenkaA) February 7, 2025
Crazy difference 👀 pic.twitter.com/U7tK80qGm0
The image is yet another testament to the sheer power of Sabalenka’s ball striking but also highlights how quickly modern tennis balls lose their freshness after just a few minutes of play.
Recently, four-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz spoke about the constant ball changes from tournament to tournament and the injury risks they pose for players. "Every week, practically every week, we have different balls, different conditions, so it’s complicated to adapt to them," he said. "I think last year there were many injuries, many players with elbow or shoulder issues. Something needs to change."
Just recently, World No. 4 Taylor Fritz suffered an injury at the Dallas Open, which he directly linked to the tournament's balls.
"They were like the deadest balls ever, so I’m just throwing my whole body into every single shot I hit, and I think I maybe slightly tore something," Fritz said.
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