Zverev complained that the court speed in Cincinnati is too slow, whereas it used to be a tournament known for its fast-paced play!

The German star Zverev publicly expressed his dissatisfaction with the court speed during an interview after his debut in Cincinnati, triggering discussions about players' injury concerns while preparing for North American hard court events.

In his Cincinnati debut, Zverev defeated local wildcard player Bassavareddy with a score of 6-3, 6-3, marking his first victory against this opponent and successfully advancing to the third round of the ATP 1000 Cincinnati Masters!

Although he passed his debut with a relatively easy score, the German star felt that the match itself was anything but easy! He believed the issue lay in the noticeably slower court speed in Cincinnati this year, which forced players to engage in a "war of attrition" under high temperatures. Meanwhile, the slow court speed diminished his serving power and increased the risk of his attacks.

“Heavy racket players need to rely on the bounce, but the slow court forces me to generate my own power, significantly increasing the risk of errors. The feeling of serving isn't great either; I don't understand why the court speed here is so slow,” Zverev stated.

Zverev then pointed out another serious concern: is it really beneficial for players to transition between courts with fluctuating speeds? Especially with the US Open just around the corner.

In this regard, Zverev mentioned, “Cincinnati used to be a tournament known for its fast court speed, and it was one of the closest to the characteristics of the US Open courts, but now the court speed has become unusually slow. I really cannot understand the purpose of such adjustments, especially since the courts in New York (for the US Open) will revert to their high-speed characteristics. Personally, I do not like this type of court, but I can only hope to play well and go as far as possible.”

In fact, Zverev's comments are not unfounded. For instance, last season, the CPI values for all hard court Masters tournaments were above 35, while the two hard court Grand Slams had speeds as high as 42. Last year, however, the court speed in Cincinnati jumped from 34.6 to 42.5. This led many players to voice their opinions, arguing that such a fast court speed is too unfriendly for players.

This year, after the Navarro family took over the Cincinnati tennis tournament, all the courts underwent a fresh coat of paint and resurfacing, resulting in another change in court speed. According to reports, the new surface material in Cincinnati this year has a significantly increased friction coefficient, greatly diminishing players' serving power and resulting in a 23% increase in baseline rally rates. Additionally, the ongoing high temperatures have softened the rubber layer, further reducing the bounce height of the ball, causing daytime court speed to be about 11% slower than at night.

World No. 1 Sinner also commented on the changes in court speed after defeating Diallo. He noted that the bounce during night matches becomes unpredictable, making it particularly challenging during his opponent's service games—the ball's bounce varies due to nighttime humidity and the roughness of the court. Furthermore, the speed at which the ball travels through the air has also decreased, and the different spins from various opponents add to the difficulty of adaptation. However, he ultimately expressed relief that this situation occurred before the US Open, and he would do his best to prepare for the next round of matches.

Fans have also observed the changes in court speed in Cincinnati this year. One fan remarked, “The ball speed is fine; it just feels like the bounce has become a bit strange, with many balls bouncing higher and making it harder to generate power!” Another fan believed that the change in speed is quite normal, especially since Benjamin Navarro bought this tournament primarily to support his daughter! However, a netizen quickly joked, “Come on! Navarro was eliminated early, okay? He shouldn't be blamed for this!”

In reality, the slowing down of court speed significantly impacts players' preparation, as transitioning between events with different speeds can exacerbate injury risks. With Cincinnati's court speed beginning to "slow down" this year, many players accustomed to the Cincinnati speed may find it challenging to adapt to the US Open, which could lead to unexpected upsets or even injuries—definitely a situation no one wants to see.

Former US Open champion Roddick raised questions on a podcast: “Cincinnati, as the most important barometer before the US Open, is deliberately slowing down, which defies logic. If it's to extend viewership through longer rallies, the cost is an increased risk of player injuries!”(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Lu Xiaotian)