Fritz: "The quality of the balls has decreased a lot"

The Indian Wells Masters 1000 has decided to change ball brands for the 2026 season, switching from Penn to Dunlop. This move has sparked a response from Taylor Fritz, the 2022 tournament winner, who plays just a few kilometers from his own home and has analyzed what this brand change will mean for his interests.

The American tennis player is a player tailored for fast courts and has been quite critical of the current situation regarding balls on the circuit. It has become common for players to criticize the balls at each tournament, as they wear out more and more, making the game harder for players with styles like Fritz or Daniil Medvedev, who famously vented his frustration in Rotterdam over the Head balls used at the tournament.

"The next tournament is Indian Wells, and honestly, it's going to be very interesting. This year they will change the ball, and we will play with Dunlop, which is the most widely used on the circuit. The thing is, Dunlop, in general, is slow. When it wears out, it becomes even slower, and lately, it's been wearing out very quickly. I truly believe the quality of the balls has dropped significantly," he said while live streaming a video game.

Fritz proposes a rule change on the ATP circuit

In fact, Fritz has proposed a change to the ball change regulations due to the loss of quality in the balls. "On fast courts, Dunlop works very well, but on slow courts, it's terrible. This didn't happen as much before, so I also think the frequency of ball changes should be adjusted. Seven or nine games is too much. The other day, at 3-3 in the first set, I was looking at the ball and thinking, 'How are we playing professional tennis with this?' It's ridiculous."

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For players who play with more topspin or are more suited to long rallies, this situation suits them perfectly, but not Fritz. "For instance, in Delray, you play two games, and the balls already look like balloons. You can't hit a winner even if you hit it with all your might. They become huge. This didn't happen before. The feel when the ball is new still remains quite similar, the touch is good, but now it “inflates” much faster than before," he continued.

Fritz, without excuses, believes he can perform well at Indian Wells

Still, Fritz didn't use it as an excuse but rather as a way to envision a new scenario for this tournament. "Dunlop has good timing; it lets you feel the ball well, and with it, there are fewer unforced errors than with others, like the Wilson US Open. With Wilson, people make more mistakes. That's more similar to how the old Indian Wells ball was. Now, with Dunlop, people will make fewer mistakes, points will be longer, and the game will feel slower. That's why I'm very curious to see how the ball will respond as it wears out."

Although Fritz has achieved great results with Penn at Indian Wells, he believes he could also reach the later stages with this ball change. "This will be the first time I play Indian Wells without the Penn Tour Ball, which has been used practically always. I'm not sure what to expect. I've had good results with both Penn and Dunlop, so I don't particularly mind either one, but it all depends on the conditions."

According to him, the key will be the speed of the Indian Wells court this year, which will be a decisive factor in how he copes with this significant change. "The issue isn't the brand but the combination of Dunlop and slow court. There, the advantage is huge for the player who moves better because you can't hit winners, and no one makes mistakes."

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Fritz reveals he suffered an injury due to poor ball quality

Furthermore, Fritz revealed an injury resulting from this decline in ball quality, a very serious matter to consider. "Many things changed after COVID, including in manufacturing. Even last year, I got injured because they sent me balls that were nothing like what we normally use. They were, without exaggeration, the worst balls I've seen in my life. That's why I'm not crazy when I say the quality has dropped: it really has."

Moreover, to conclude, he revealed the decision he will make for the tournament to try to minimize the impact of this novelty on his game. "Personally, I will request to play during the day in all matches, unless I face someone bigger and slower than me. If I serve better and play more aggressively, the day benefits me. If I move better from the baseline, perhaps the night helps. But generally, I prefer the day, where my serve and aggressive shots are rewarded," he concluded.

It's clear that more and more important names on the circuit are speaking up to highlight the issue with the balls, which doesn't reflect well on the ATP. Some players like Bublik have even shared training sessions where the balls wear out noticeably after a few minutes of rallying, so something will have to change to reverse a situation that troubles the big hitters on the circuit.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Fritz: "La calidad de las pelotas ha bajado muchísimo"