‘I think it’s really bad’, says Emma Raducanu as Brit star bizarrely blames TENNIS BALLS for contributing to injury hell
EMMA RADUCANU has voiced concerns about the use of different tennis balls on the WTA tour.
The 21-year-old has suffered several injury setbacks since winning the US Open in 2021.
She underwent surgery on both wrists and her left ankle last year and was forced to miss the remainder of the season.
Raducanu returned to competitive action in January and has since played at the Australian Open as well as tournaments in Auckland, Abu Dhabi and Qatar.
The Brit also took part in the Indian Wells Open this month but was knocked out in the third round following a 6-3 7-5 defeat to second seed Aryna Sabalenka.
After the match she raised concerns about the use of certain tennis balls on the tour.
Raducanu and her fellow WTA stars have spent the last fortnight playing with Penn-manufactured tennis balls, but they will have to adapt to Dunlop balls at the Miami Open next week.
Discussing the issue, Raducanu said: “The conditions are very different in Indian Wells compared to Miami.
“It’s very humid. The balls are very heavy. They are different, which I don’t think is great for any of the players’ wrists, but especially mine.”
She continued: “I honestly think it’s really bad for us, the way that we have to switch balls every single week and especially when you’ve gone through surgeries.
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“I know a lot of players who are struggling with wrist problems, too.
“I don’t understand why every other sport is pretty much the same, whereas in tennis it’s different week to week.”
Other tennis stars have also criticised the number of ball changes on the tour.
In March 2023, ATP world No4 Daniil Medvedev said Dunlop’s tennis balls were “like apples” and suggested they were causing injury.
Former US Open champion Andy Roddick weighed into the debate earlier this month.
He tweeted: “Have gotten two texts from two of the top coaches on earth in last hour saying how bad the balls are at Indian Wells.
“Apparently this was after and handful of minutes of a warmup. How has this problem not been fixed over time?”
The final of the Indian Wells Open will take place this Sunday, March 17.