Carlos Alcaraz Urges Tennis Authorities to Review Ball Choices After Laver Cup

Carlos Alcaraz was a key player for Team Europe as they took back the Laver Cup from Team World. He completed the event unbeaten, winning both his singles match and a doubles match alongside Jakub Mensik in London. Alcaraz helped secure points by defeating Taylor Fritz in singles and partnering with Mensik to overcome Alexander Bublik and Fritz in doubles.

Though scheduled to play Alex de Minaur on the final day, the tournament concluded early when Alexander Zverev clinched the title for Europe before Alcaraz's last match.

Players Voice Concerns Over Court Conditions

After their victory, Alcaraz and Mensik spoke during a press conference about the court speed at the Laver Cup, held indoors at London's O2 arena. The hard courts were noticeably slow, which affected gameplay. No ranking points were awarded at this ATP event, but matches still counted towards players’ head-to-head stats.

Jakub Mensik described the conditions as "one of the slowest surfaces" he had encountered all year, adding that it made it difficult to find rhythm and finish points, especially given his style relying on serve and heavy groundstrokes. He also criticized the balls used during the event, calling them "not that good" and contributing to the slow pace.

"It was really tough for me to get used to it, especially because my game is built around serve and heavy shots. The combination of the balls made it super slow," Mensik said.

Alcaraz shared his thoughts, saying he didn’t mind slower courts due to his serve style but believes the problem lies more with the balls than the courts themselves. He explained how tennis has evolved over the years with court speeds slowing down, but ball behavior varies widely between tournaments.

"The balls react so differently depending on the court. Sometimes they become very big, changing the game completely. We only use new balls for two or three games, then you have to quickly adapt," Alcaraz explained."My request is for officials to find the best possible balls suited for each court and tournament. That’s really important. I’m always trying to adjust my game as best I can," he added.

Looking Ahead to the Japan Open

Alcaraz’s appeal may prompt some changes, though many players have expressed frustrations with inconsistent balls recently. The hectic ATP schedule leaves little time for adjustments between events, testing players' ability to quickly adapt from one surface and ball type to another.

Having mastered this skill throughout his rising career, Alcaraz now turns his focus to the Japan Open in Tokyo, where he will defend his title. While he enjoys the Laver Cup experience, competitive tour action calls him onward.