Rome, May 15 (LaPresse) – "The Dunlop balls produced for these tournaments are identical for all clay court events—Marrakech, Monte Carlo, Madrid, Rome. It’s the exact same ball. Zverev’s complaint is completely unfounded." This is how Jason D'Alessandro, Marketing Manager & Sales Coordinator of Dunlop Italia, responded to Alexander Zverev, who yesterday, after his defeat against Lorenzo Musetti in the quarterfinals of the Italian Open, criticized the size of the balls used in the tournament, claiming they were too large compared to those used in other clay court events.
"Even considering the reasoning behind it, I am amazed. For us as a company, what would be the advantage of producing a different ball for Rome? We would have higher production costs, transportation costs, and more logistical difficulties. We have the same production process, with distribution to a single location, and then the balls are sent to the various tournaments," said the official supplier of the ATP tournament balls.
"The balls, and their size, must be approved and undergo various tests. Absolutely, our balls are 'special select' and undergo multiple approval processes to avoid issues at tournaments, like a flat ball or a ball that’s slower due to defects. They undergo so many checks that the balls at the tournaments are always perfect. We're even talking about a larger ball, not a deflated one," continued D'Alessandro.
"Zverev says the balls are slow? To me, it seemed like Alcaraz was smashing the balls, and Musetti wasn’t exactly hitting slowly. It doesn't make sense. And what surprises me a bit is the question of why the ball is slower in Rome compared to Madrid. The answer is simple: Madrid is 700 meters above sea level and is historically considered a slightly anomalous, faster surface for this reason. There are many variables that can make a rally slower or faster, but it’s certainly not the ball’s difference. The only complaint we received was Zverev’s about the size of the balls, but it’s unfounded. I repeat, the balls are identical," he concluded.
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