“Really Terrible”: Rotterdam Tennis Ball Backlash Grows as De Minaur and Fils Join Medvedev’s Crusade
By Charlie Eccleshare
2 min read
ROTTERDAM — The mutiny over tennis balls at the Rotterdam Open is escalating.
Alex de Minaur and Arthur Fils have become the latest top players to condemn the Head Tour XT ball, joining Daniil Medvedev who called it “not round” and “horrible” after his first-round exit Monday.
“They Are Terrible”
Fils, speaking after his loss to de Minaur, did not hide his frustration:
“They are terrible. Really terrible. The ball is very bad. After two games they get bigger and very slow. That is not normal. ATP have to do better.”
De Minaur, the world No. 8, agreed:
“I have struggled a lot. They are definitely not my favourite. I don’t think they’re anyone’s favourite. Very difficult to control.”
His diagnosis: a “dead ball” that favours “big hitters who can hit through that.”
Medvedev’s Meltdown
The firestorm began 24 hours earlier when Medvedev summoned the supervisor mid-match:
“These balls are not round. Are you sure? Because I see it not round.”
His verdict was unsparing:
“Please delete these f—ing balls from this f—ing life.”
The Deeper Issue
Taylor Fritz and Alexander Zverev have long demanded an end to tournaments switching balls week-to-week. Fritz has linked the heavy balls to rising injury rates.
The ATP promised centralization by 2027, moving away from tournament-selected suppliers. For now, Rotterdam’s balls remain.
De Minaur’s take:
“It is what it is. My job is to adapt.”