“They don’t make it easy to make quick points,” Novak Djokovic breaks silence on ‘Ball quality’ controversy surrounding the Tour
Djokovic does not have any issues with the Dunlop balls used at the Australian Open as well as Dubai Open this year
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Novak Djokovic recently broke the record for most weeks at No.1 in tennis history. The Serb’s record is embroiled in controversy, as many have reacted in support of Steffi Graf‘s record. Another controversy that Novak has taken part in, is the issue with the new Dunlop tennis balls issued this season.
Many players have raised concerns regarding the reliability of the balls. The tennis balls were first used during the 2023 Australian Open. Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Daniil Medvedev are some of the players who have spoken up about the issue. On the other hand, Djokovic is seemingly unbothered by the controversial tennis balls.
The Dunlop balls are being used by the Australian Open since 2019. However, this year, the ball quality has posed a significant problem for many. As the match continues, the balls fluff up more and become bigger and softer. This leads the ball to grow heavier and makes it difficult to score winners. As a result, longer rallies have become prevalent, ultimately leading to longer matches.
Djokovic stated his opinion on the controversy too. The Serb seems unperturbed by the significant change. Nevertheless, the change has been noted by the 22-time Grand Slam champion. In the post-match press conference at the Dubai Open, Novak noted the slower speed of the balls. “It’s probably because of those balls that make the game different in terms of speed.” said the Serb.
The weather also plays an important role to denote the weight of the balls. Nadal, who relies on the ball spin, has also complained about the difficulty. In contrast, Djokovic has ‘no complaints’ from his side. The 35-year-old said, “The balls, because they get bigger and slower, don’t make it easy to make quick points. You have to win the points and run more. To be honest, I don’t care, I like these and I like the conditions both here and in Australia.”
Novak Djokovic defeats Tomas Machac at the Dubai Tennis Championships
Novak Djokovic came back from a set down to beat Tomas Machac in an exciting first-round match at the Dubai Tennis Championships on Tuesday. Djokovic was making his first appearance since winning the Australian Open and only needed a final set tie-break to win his 13th match of the season. He won the match 6-3, 3-6, 7-6. (7-1).
“Tomas certainly didn’t play like the No. 130 in the world today,” Djokovic said “He was giving me all kinds of trouble”. The World No. 1 was visibly upset at moments as he struggled to find his best level, but he kept his cool in typical form. Djokovic now has an 18-match winning run. The World No. 1 is chasing his sixth victory this week in Dubai, where he has won the title five times.
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Tanisha Mohanty
(172 Articles Published)