Medvedev, Ball Quality, and the Shanghai Masters 2024

Daniil Medvedev's won his opening game at the Shanghai Master 2024 but the Russian tennis star couldn't hide his frustration with the quality of the balls used. It’s no secret that Medvedev has always been vocal, but this time, his complaints took center stage.

Medvedev's Anger

Despite clinching a victory against Thiago Seyboth Wild in the third round with a score of 7-5, 7-5, Medvedev's win was overshadowed by his comments on the poor quality of the balls. The outspoken Russian was so frustrated point, he called over the supervisor to complain about the Wilson balls which are used for this tournament. He said: 

"These balls are not good enough for professional tennis, said Medvedev. This is one of the biggest tournaments in the world and the balls are destroyed after 5 games. No pressure at all."

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Quality of Tennis Balls in Question

Tennis pros are always unhappy with something but mostly about equipment quality, but Medvedev’s critique at the Shanghai Masters 2024 brought it into the limelight. This isn’t the first time Medvedev has been vocal about equipment issues either. He previously raised concerns at the 2023 China open, where he felt the balls used did not suit his playing style. 

"Since the warm-up, even before the match, it was tough to control the ball," he said. So I was a little bit, let’s say nervous in a way."

“We need high-quality equipment to keep the sport fair,” he added.

Do you agree with Daniil Medvedev? Comment and let us know.

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