SHANGHAI: World number three Alexander Zverev has accused tournament directors of deliberately slowing down court surfaces to benefit Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, saying tennis is losing its traditional variety.
Speaking at the Shanghai Masters on Saturday, the German said he was frustrated by the increasing uniformity of court speeds across the ATP Tour. “I hate when it’s the same, and I know tournament directors are going in that direction because they want Jannik and Carlos to do well every tournament,” Zverev said in an on-court interview.
Zverev’s remarks echoed earlier observations by Swiss great Roger Federer, who suggested that slower courts allow players to use the same playing style on clay, grass, and hard courts. Federer had said he wanted to see Alcaraz and Sinner tested on faster conditions.
“You couldn’t play tennis the same way on a grass court, hard court, and a clay court. Nowadays you can almost play the same way everywhere,” Zverev added. “I don’t like it. I’m not a fan of it.”
While Alcaraz, 22, and Sinner have dominated the sport by winning all of the last eight Grand Slams between them, Zverev — still seeking his first major title — believes tennis must rediscover its surface diversity to preserve its unique challenge.
