Angry Benoit Paire calls the French Open balls ‘RUBBISH’ after his loss to Cameron Norrie, Roberto Bautista Agut also joins the Frenchman

The controversy regarding Wilson balls being used at the French Open is not new and in previous editions too players have complained of the quality balls ever since they have replaced balls made by Babolat.


Angry Benoit Paire calls the French Open balls ‘RUBBISH’ after his loss to Cameron Norrie, Roberto Bautista Agut also joins the Frenchman

Cameron Norrie and Benoit Paire (Image via: ATP)

It seems like the 2023 French Open and controversies are going hand-in-hand. If Aryna Sabalenka’s no-handshake moment or Cameron Norrie being docked a point due to “hindrance” and then almost losing the match was not enough, a new allegation is gathering pace and is already being backed by two male players.

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The controversy this time is regarding the poor quality of the balls being used at Roland Garros. The first player to complain about them was Frenchman Benoit Paire, and the latest to join this criticism is 19th-seed Roberto Bautista Agut. While the Spaniard managed a comfortable victory in the first round, Paire squandered a 2-1 lead after three sets to go down fighting against 14th-seed Norrie 5-7, 6-4, 6-3, 1-6, 4-6.

Speaking to reporters after the match, Paire lashed out at the condition of the balls. The former top-20 player in the world said, “You play with balls that get bigger after two seconds. The new balls don’t even last a game. The balls are garbage. That’s not the reason why I didn’t win, but you can’t play tennis with that type of ball. You can’t attack. You can’t move ahead. It’s Roland Garros, one of the greatest tournaments in the world, and we’re playing with these silly balls.” Joining the bandwagon was Agut, who too looked clearly unimpressed by the quality of the balls.

The balls are getting very big. I am a Wilson player, and they sent me the Wilson Roland Garros, and they are not the same. The ball is getting very heavy and fat. We are lucky that it is sunny. I don’t want to imagine this ball on rainy or very heavy surfaces. It would hurt you in a long game. The feeling I had training at home and here is not the same,” he stated.

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Also Read: “I got my a** kicked” Casper Ruud recalls playing Roger Federer at the French Open as he returns on court Suzanne Lenglen

Wilson is the manufacturer of balls at the French Open

French Open
French Open (Image via: Pinterest)

It is saddening to see players complaining about balls manufactured by Wilson, one of the leading brands in tennis. Wilson, apart from manufacturing them, has developed these balls in collaboration with the French Tennis Federation (FTF). The ball is claimed to ‘have more texture and fluff a bit more’ compared to the ones used on a hard court.

It is also believed to be designed for longer rallies and limits moisture or dirt buildup to maintain its consistency while being hit. This is not the first time such controversies have been raised regarding the conditioning of the balls since the tournament switched from Babolat to Wilson-brand tennis balls.

In 2020, top players like Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Dominic Thiem also complained of balls getting heavier and hitting them becoming increasingly difficult as the match progressed. It would be interesting to see who else comes up with complaints regarding balls this year and whether the FTF takes any action on them or not.

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