Taylor Fritz criticizes inconsistency of US Open tennis balls

American tennis player Taylor Fritz has criticized the discrepancy between the Wilson US Open balls used in professional tournaments and the retail versions available for practice. Following his exit from the 2026 US Open, Fritz noted that the balls he has used during training feel “incredibly soft, dead, and going nowhere” compared to the tournament-grade equipment used during the North American hard-court swing.

Fritz stated that the difference in ball response is forcing him to alter his technique, requiring him to swing much harder to produce a standard rally ball. He emphasized that he was not using the equipment as an excuse for his loss to Francisco Cerundolo, but rather highlighting a systemic issue where players cannot train with the same specifications they use in competition. Fritz added that other players have expressed similar frustrations, calling it “disappointing that this has started to feel normal.”