The ATP tests an innovation in Challenger tournaments that could change tennis

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It seems surreal, but one of the main enemies of professional tennis is its balls. Most tennis players, both on the men's circuit and women's circuit, constantly criticize the variety of ball brands, with their different characteristics and the constant changes in each tournament, as one of the main culprits of arm injuries, whether wrist, elbow, forearm, or shoulder.

Facing this situation, the ATP has introduced a new rule in its Challenger tournaments: to change balls more frequently during the match. In other words, the first ball change, which usually occurs in the seventh game, will now take place in the fifth. While the rest of the changes, which were typically done in the ninth game, will now be carried out in the seventh.

The Balls, the Main Physical Enemy of the Players

It is worth mentioning that this decision has been approved by the ATP player council. This means that the men's circuit supports this measure and feels heard regarding their criticism of the ball differences. This issue arose in 2020 after the COVID-19 pandemic, as confirmed by Novak Djokovic during his participation in Wimbledon 2026.

"We all agree that something has changed since COVID. The production and manufacturing facilities in China used by virtually all major ball manufacturers we use on the circuit have changed. No doubt. There's been a change in some material, something that has affected the way the ball reacts nowadays," said the Serbian who perceives a slowing down in the balls.

Since then, criticisms have arisen in all tournaments. In the Australian Open with Dunlop, in Roland Garros with Wilson, in Wimbledon with Slazenger, and in the US Open also with Wilson. In other words, a lot of variety and differences in each Grand Slam that make the hitting style different, as well as the force applied to the ball, something that directly affects the arm and can lead to injury over time.

Have been dealing w wrist issues since beginning of USO series cause of ball changes✌🏻we went 3 different balls in 3 weeks https://t.co/018jWjFPTC

— Taylor Fritz (@Taylor_Fritz97) September 30, 2023

Most emphatically, Pablo Carreño in an interview with this media in 2023 expressed: "I'm sure that the balls have something to do with my injury; the balls are very different, and the continuous ball changes have an influence. Last week we played with one brand, this week we're using another. In the Challenger circuit, it's even worse because there are more changes, but even in the ATP circuit, there's a lot of ball switching. We hardly play two tournaments with the same balls. In the same Australian or clay court tour, the ball brand can change. This affects the higher injury rates."

Even Carlos Alcaraz had a clear idea a few years ago about what he would change in the ATP circuit and proposed an ideal change, far from happening: "It's the only thing I would change: to play all tournaments throughout the year with the same ball. Now you have to adapt your game because in each tournament, the ball is different."

To address this controversy, in 2025 the ATP, which observed that each tournament selects a different brand of balls, even within the same tour, decided to centralize the ball supplier selection process. That is, preventing tournaments from independently selecting their suppliers.

It remains to be seen if the decision taken in the Challenger circuit will be implemented in the ATP. However, the main issue will not be resolved until the entire circuit unifies to one or, at most, two suppliers. Until then, balls will continue to pose a challenge for the players.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, La ATP prueba una innovación en torneos Challengers que podría cambiar el tenis