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Iga Swiatek slammed the use of different tennis balls on the women's tour for the entire US Open swing, drawing a range of reactions from the tennis fan community. The current World No. 1 is quite dissatisfied with the fact that lighter balls are used during the US Open swing and that the tennis balls used in the men's and women's tours differ during this phase of the season.
Swiatek compared today's gameplay on the women's tour to that of a decade ago to stress that players today have a much more powerful game, with the exception of Serena Williams who has always possessed a powerful style of play.
Swiatek further revealed that she is not the only WTA player who feels the same way and many of the others are Top-10 players.
"I think those balls are horrible, especially after like three games of really hard play, they are getting more and more light," Swiatek said during a press conference at the Cincinnati Open. "They fly like crazy. We have really powerful games right now. It's not like 10 years ago when I think girls, except Serena, played slower. I know that there are players who complain, and many of them are top 10."
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The North American hardcourt swing, including the US Open, is the only phase of the season that uses lighter tennis balls on the WTA tour, which means different balls are used by the ATP and WTA tours.
While Swiatek poured her heart out on the issue and said that lighter tennis balls do not help powerful and hard-hitting players, tennis fans were divided in their opinion on the same.
One fan said that he doesn't see why the World No. 1 was making a fuss.
"Serena won so many USO titles, has the most powerful serve. She never complained. What's the fuss? Get on with the game," one fan wrote.
Swiatek further highlighted that players from 10-15 years ago played a lot slower and that a change was made from heavier to lighter balls due to players suffering from regular elbow injuries.
She believes that change is the 'need of the hour' again in the US Open swing and called for a move back to the heavier balls on the WTA tour.
Here are a few more reactions from tennis fans to Swiatek's comments:
Iga Swiatek beats former US Open champion Sloane Stephens in her Cincinnati Open opener
Iga Swiatek came through a tricky test at the Cincinnati Open on Wednesday in her bid to regain form ahead of the US Open. The Polish superstar defeated 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens 6-4, 7-5 to kickstart her Western & Southern Open campaign. She will next face 2017 US Open finalist Madison Keys in the Round of 16.
Swiatek, who registered an incredible 37-match winning streak earlier this year, has been going through a bit of a lean patch of late. The 21-year-old lost to eventual finalist Beatriz Haddad Maia at last week's Canadian Open.
Earlier, she lost in the quarterfinals of the Poland Open to Caroline Garcia. A third-round exit at Wimbledon snapped Iga Swiatek's 37-match streak, which was the biggest winning run on the WTA tour since the turn of the century.
While the reigning French Open champion has never made it past the fourth round at the US Open, she will enter the New York Grand Slam this year as one of the favorites.
Also Checkout:- US Open 2022 Results
