Zverev criticizes tournaments for favoring Sinner and Alcaraz

A rather shocking statement from Alexander Zverev recently concerning two renowned peers: Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.

World No. 3 Alexander Zverev drew attention by openly criticizing tournament directors globally for slowing down court speeds, which he believes benefits the two current big stars: Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. Speaking at the 2025 Shanghai Masters on October 4, the German player argued that tennis is losing its inherent variety.

"I hate when everything keeps repeating. I know the directors are aiming for that because they want Jannik and Carlos to perform well at every tournament. But I have played for 12 years and we used to have different court surfaces; there were tournaments you liked and ones you didn’t. That’s what made tennis rich.", Zverev said bluntly.

According to Zverev, courts nowadays have become too uniform, allowing players to adopt the same style regardless of whether it’s clay, grass, or hard courts. He thinks this not only reduces tennis’s tactical diversity but also diminishes the natural advantage of players who specialize in attacking or defensive styles.

Sascha’s criticism comes amid a clear reduction in court speed at this year’s Shanghai Masters compared to previous editions, partly due to new balls and the very high humidity conditions in Shanghai.

Earlier, legend Roger Federer also expressed similar concerns, saying that slower court speeds are blurring the unique characteristics of each surface. The "Swiss Maestro" hopes to see Alcaraz and Sinner forced to adapt more to different playing conditions instead of easily applying the same style at every event.

Alcaraz, 22, has won 6 Grand Slam titles, while Sinner holds 4 Major trophies, and together they have claimed 8 of the most recent Grand Slams. Meanwhile, Zverev has yet to win a Grand Slam.

When asked about Zverev’s comments, Sinner responded tactfully: "Carlos and I don’t create the court conditions. We just try to adapt to whatever the conditions are. Every week there are slight differences, and I’ve had great matches even on faster courts."

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