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Court-Speed Data Undercuts Claims of Favoritism Toward Alcaraz and Sinner

Tournament directors say they target consistent medium-fast conditions rather than tailoring surfaces to specific players.

Overview

  • A BBC review of Masters 1000 measurements finds most courts this season have been slightly faster than in 2017, with Shanghai a notable slower outlier.
  • Cincinnati tournament chief Bob Moran rejects the idea of engineering advantages, saying events aim for consistency across the North American swing.
  • Roger Federer raised concerns about homogenized conditions at the Laver Cup, and Alexander Zverev echoed the claim in Shanghai.
  • Jannik Sinner responds that players do not set court conditions, while Rennae Stubbs, Rick Macci and John Isner criticize Zverev’s comments as excuses.
  • Analysts note a long-term move toward more uniform conditions driven by balls, strings and court prep, yet results show Alcaraz and Sinner winning across surfaces.