Tennis is a sport where minor details count. From the pace of the court to the type of the courts, altitude, and even the balls, everything seems to have an impact. Over the last few months, players including Daniil Medvedev have voiced their concerns over the usage of balls in the events. But Casper Ruud doesn’t seem to be on the same page. Recently, Ruud ignited a fresh debate openly calling out players who complain about the balls used in tournaments. His words come when fans and players have been talking nonstop about this issue, leaving many to wonder if Ruud is simply fed up or challenging his peers to stop making excuses.

During a recent podcast at Nothing Major, Ruud expressed his irritation with players constantly blaming their performance issues on the balls used in tournaments. “You see players complain about the balls all the time. I’m getting so tired of like ‘Oh, I feel my elbow… I feel this, that. I can’t produce power. It suits this player…’ Come on. Just play,” Ruud stated, clearly frustrated with the ongoing criticism.

Ruud further emphasized how players arrive days in advance to practice preparing racquets with the perfect tension, only to end up complaining about the balls. He questioned the logic behind these complaints, saying, “They string like 28 racquets to get the right tension. Then they come to the 4th round and start complaining about the balls. But it’s been the same balls for the past 9 days. What’s the point of bringing it up now to the umpire?”

Ruud’s comments come soon after Medvedev’s recent outburst at the Shanghai Masters, where he criticized the balls as “not good enough for professional tennis.” He made similar complaints at the China Open as well. This ongoing debate has fueled fresh controversy, with Ruud urging players to focus on their game instead of stirring up “drama out of nothing.”

Daniil Medvedev is not the only pro who has expressed his concerns over the kind of balls used in the tournaments. Other pros, such as Novak Djokovic, Taylor Fritz, and others, have also criticized similar ball-related issues.

Novak Djokovic, Taylor Fritz, and others have also raised significant concerns apart from Daniil Medvedev

Novak Djokovic and Taylor Fritz have also raised questions over the wide variety of tennis balls used throughout the ATP Tour. Frequent ball changes have resulted in an uptick in wrist, elbow, and shoulder injuries. Ahead of this year’s Australian Open, Djokovic experienced a minor wrist issue, which he believes may be tied to inconsistent balls used across tournaments. “There is certainly a connection between frequent injuries of the wrist, elbow, and shoulder with ball changes,” Djokovic said in October 2023.

Fritz, back in 2023, raised concerns over the same, revealing that he was struggling with wrist pain “since the beginning of [the US Open] series” due to the rotation of three different balls over just three weeks. “I am absolutely in favour of choosing one ball with which we will play all ATP tournaments,” Fritz explained on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Well, some are clearly convinced that switching balls makes the matches more challenging. But, what are your thoughts on this? Do let us know in the comments below: