Babolat Balls Seem to Work at Roland Garros

Written by: Staff on 29th May 2012

Babolat Balls Seem to Work at Roland Garros |

The ball debate has once again begun at Roland Garros. But it sounds like Babolat, which is large sponsor for the tournament and the official ball supplier of the French Open, has met the players’ wishes. Most of the players who spoke on Monday seem happy with them.

“I think they’re heavy,” said Roger Federer. “I think they’re slower than last year. Conditions here are always faster during the day.

“Courts are on the harder side, especially when it’s good weather like today. Feels like it’s faster. I feel the balls are not the fastest ones. I just think that also is just taking some adjustments to that, because the ball is different here again than the last six, seven weeks for us. I think that also maybe takes some getting used to, which is normal. Last year they have made that switch with balls, and they were really fast and tough to control with conditions that are present in the Roland Garros, which are a little bit different from other clay court events, and the conditions here are a little bit faster than maybe comparing to Monte Carlo or Barcelona or Rome. But many players complained a little bit about the speed of the balls last year, so it was really difficult to control. So this year, they’re a little bit heavier, which I like. I really don’t have any complaints about it.”

No. 1 Novak Djokovic concurred with Federer. “Many players complained a little bit about the speed of the balls last year, so it was really difficult to control,” he said. “So this year, they’re a little bit heavier, which I like. I really don’t have any complaints about it.”

Canadian Milos Raonic agreed the balls are heavier. “I think they’re slower and more similar to what we play with in the earlier part of the clay court season with the Dunlop balls. I think the balls are more close to that. Still not the exact same, but I find they’re quite heavy. But these condition, it’s pretty dry. It’s pretty bouncy. But I don’t find that the ball goes through the court that much. ”

Topics: Babolat, Roland Garros