Overview
- Speaking on Andy Roddick’s podcast during Laver Cup week, Roger Federer said tournament directors favor slower conditions as a safety net that helps top seeds like Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz reach finals.
- Federer urged a return to a wider spread of genuine surface speeds so elite players must adapt to both very fast and very slow conditions, and he acknowledged having input on Laver Cup court choices.
- He added that returning serve has become easier in today’s conditions, which can diminish the advantage of big servers.
- Asked in Beijing ahead of the China Open, Sinner agreed many hard courts feel similar with only small differences at some events, and he emphasized adapting rather than debating intent.
- Independent analyses cited in coverage show meaningful venue differences in ace rates, rally lengths and Court Pace Index, yet many major events cluster around a medium-fast profile with Indian Wells often flagged as a slower outlier, and no policy changes have been announced.