US OPEN 2023
Are men and women using the same balls at the 2023 US Open?
In last year’s edition, several women complained that the light balls were more difficult to control than those used by men on the same surface.
Tennis is a sport constantly undergoing trial periods, always in search of a set of improvements that enhance the spectacle while not interfering with the athletes’ sporting performance. Adhering to this principle, with the commencement of the 2023 US Open this week, several innovations have been introduced. Arguably the most significant among these is the type of ball to be used by women.
US Open: new balls please
As confirmed by the tournament’s organizers, the women’s draw will use balls identical to those used in the men’s category for the first time. This change is a response to complaints from the previous year’s edition, when several women players expressed difficulty in controlling the direction and force of shots due to the lighter ball used in comparison to the men’s version.
After conducting several trials at tournaments in Canada and Cincinnati, where the surface closely resembles that of Flushing Meadows, this decision was reached.
US Open aligns with tennis majors
Consequently, the US Open, which was the only Grand Slam where women and men used different balls, now aligns with the other ‘majors’ in terms of unification in this aspect between the two draws. While it was a long-standing request that appears to be a step forward, the organizers will determine the type of balls to be used in 2024 based on the outcomes and feedback from this edition.
“If the WTA wants to change the ball, there’s no problem,” stated Stacey Allaster, the director of the US Open. “Wilson can do it, and there is no extra cost, the only condition we gave the WTA was that they let us know the type of ball to be used in 2023 by the end of the 2022 US Open. That amount of time is necessary for Wilson to manufacture the ball.”
Other innovations at the 2023 US Open
The introduction of new balls in the women’s draw isn’t the only change in this year’s edition. Another significant innovation is the authorization of live electronic devices for the coaches of players, both male and female. Consequently, they will be able to access statistics and real-time match footage.
Furthermore, players will have the capability to review images and footage from their own matches, enabling them to assess particular moments in the game where ambiguous decisions were made, such as instances where the ball might have double-bounced on the ground before being struck with the racket.