Days after Roger Federer questioned the tennis tournaments on Carlos Alcaraza and Jannika Sinner, the German Alexander Zverev has made a sensational accusation against tournament directors to slow surfaces around the world.
World number three claimed that the directors slowed the courts to help Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner succeed on all surfaces. During an interview with the Shanghai Masters court, Zverev said that sport must be brought back to tour.
Previously, Federer said that slower courts allowed players to play in the same way on clay, grass, or hard judges, adding that he wanted Alcaraz and sinner to adapt to rapid conditions.
Zverev, however, not only repeated these sentiments, but also fired a provocative shot at the director of the tournament.
“I hate when it’s the same and I know that tournament directors are going in the direction, because they obviously want Jannik and Carlos to do every tournament well, and that’s what they prefer,” Zverev said in a court interview.
“I’ve been to tour for 12 years and we’ve always had different surfaces. We always had tournaments that you liked, and we’ve always had tournaments that you didn’t like.”
Zverev says that tournament directors make the speed of the court “the same” to prefer Sinner & Alcaraz
“I hate when it’s the same, I know that tournament directors are going because they want Jannik and Carlos to do every tournament well.”
pic.twitter.com/2n1wwgowc4– tennis letter (@tetensletter) 4th October 2025
While Alcaraz won six Grand Slam titles at the age of 22, Sinner won four, with the two best players in the world were the last eight majors.
“You couldn’t play tennis in the same way in a grass court, a harsh court and a clay court. Nowadays you can play in almost the same way on every surface, so I don’t like it, I’m not a fan,” added Zverev, who still has to win the main title.
“I think tennis needs game styles. Tennis needs a little diversity and I think we miss it now.”
While Alcaraz withdrew from the Masters tournament in Shanghai with ankle injury, the second seed of the sinner moved to the next round next to Zverev.
Sinner responds to the accusation
When the Italian was asked if the tournament directors standardize the courts and make them slower to benefit and Alcaraz, offered a diplomatic reaction.
“Me and Carlos, we don’t make the courts. It’s not our decision,” he said.
“We’re trying to adapt in every situation. I feel that I still feel a little different every week.
“I played some great tennis, although it was faster courts. But I’m not doing the courts, so I’m just trying to adapt and play my best tennis that I can, and that’s it.”
How to make tennis courts more pleasant?
The speed of the tennis court largely depends on its surface and on how it affects the reflection of the ball. The courts can be slower using specific techniques, unique to each court.
Clay court
The clay courts naturally slow down the ball because the surface of the dirt pushes back against it, leading to higher and slower reflections. In addition, this time allows players with large fitness and defensive skills to remain in the assembly longer. The clay courts can be slower simply by adding more water to clay during the tournament.
Grass court
On the other hand, grass courts tend to produce lower, faster and often unforeseen reflections. The ball can slip down the surface, so grass is generally a faster court – although conditions like moisture can affect it. On the grass areas, the court is slowed down by leaving the larger upper layer of grass.
Harsh trial
Hard courts offer a more consistent and predictable reflection. However, the amount of friction on the court surface plays a key role in the speed of the court. A hard trial with higher friction “grabs” the ball more on the impact, causing it to bounce higher and slower than usual. Thus, depending on the court material and the addition of sand to the surface, harsh courts may be a slower increase in adhesion on the surface.
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Published:
Kingshuk Kusari
Published on:
October 5, 2025
