Men and women will use the same tennis ball this year at the US Open, satisfying some women who complained last year that they were hitting an inferior product.
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek — who eventually won the tournament — was among the women who felt their lighter ball didn’t hold its strength as long as the one that was used by men. The US Open had been the only one of the four grand slam tournaments that used a different ball for men and women.
Stacey Allaster, the US Open’s tournament director, said on Thursday that the type of ball being used was entirely up to the players and their tour, and that the US Tennis Association only needed to know their preference after last year’s tournament so enough balls could be ordered from provider Wilson.
“We have been unwavering. That’s been their decision,” Allaster said.
She met last year with some of the players who made clear their preference for the “extra duty” felt ball, rather than the “regular duty” felt ball the women had been using for decades.
Allaster said she told the players to talk to the leadership of the WTA Tour and their players’ council. “If the WTA wants to change the ball, no problem,” Allaster told them.
Other changes being implemented include the use of tablets by coaches sitting in their boxes, giving them access to real-time stats and video, and players’ challenges to review situations such as a ball they believe bounced twice.
