“Dangerous”: Rafael Nadal Displeased With Balls and Conditions at French Open 2020

French Open 2020 will see a lot of changes from last year. One of the significant differences comes with the change of ball manufacturers, which has sparked quite a reaction from the players. To give you a heads up, Rafael Nadal isn’t too happy! 

Traditionally, we’ve always seen Babolat balls being used at Roland Garros. The organizers ended a long-term partnership with the French company and switched to Wilson, because of which there will be notable differences on the playing ground. 

To brief you on how the new Wilson balls affect the tournament, experts say that the new balls absorb less moisture and take a longer time to wear down when compared to Babolat balls.

If one might think this is a positive change, it isn’t. The new balls, which are designed to endure longer rallies are actually slower on the surface when compared to their predecessors. The old Babolat balls traveled through clay much faster which aided players like Dominic Thiem. 

In fact, Thiem expressed his disapproval at the new tennis balls during a recent interview. Here’s what the 2x French Open finalist said: “The Babolat were actually my favorite balls, they were nice and fast, perfect for my game, perfect for Nadal’s game too. The new balls will be slower, more open. That will certainly change the results a bit,” he mentioned.

Rafael Nadal is not holding back with his comments on the new Wilson tennis balls

Over the years, we’ve seen Rafael Nadal dominate on clay. There’s a reason why he’s called the ‘King of Clay.’ Rafa is extremely good when it comes to these surfaces, but this time he’s not so sure about the French Open. 

The new Wilson balls are creating controversy among the players. If the best clay player in the world voices out against them, you know that a lot more athletes feel uncomfortable too. Nadal obviously tested the new Wilson balls before he landed in Paris, and he was unhappy with the way it traveled. 

“I think not a good ball to play on clay honestly,” Nadal said. The 34-year-old is concerned about the toughness of the ball as it is created to withstand more wear and tear. He directed his disapproval towards the organizers. 

“The organizers need to take a look on that for the next couple of years, for the health of the players too, because the ball super heavy becomes dangerous for the elbow and the shoulders,” he mentioned. 

With Roland Garros set to take place under floodlights for the first time, the heavier Wilsons make it even harder. “It’s a very strange situation. Here the conditions are very, very tough. The weather is so, so cold, so that makes it difficult for everyone. But the conditions are a little bit extreme to play our tournament,” Nadal added. 

This year, Roland Garros will be a strange spectacle. Nevertheless, this is the last major of the year.

We hope everything goes as per the schedule and smoothly. Fans are expecting a new winner this year, and the Wilson balls might play spoilsport for Nadal’s visions.