Stefanos Tsitsipas is blaming the ATP Tour ball changes for the shoulder injury he sustained at the start of the 2023 season. At the Australian Open, Tsitsipas reached the final but also contracted a shoulder injury. In late February, Daniil Medvedev was also critical of the new balls used on the ATP Tour and he suggested that they were to blame for the wrist pain he experienced in Australia.
“I think the biggest issue this year was the change in balls and that was an issue that has been discussed among the players. Balls need to stay the same in most tournaments and especially on hard surfaces. This benefits us all and protects players from injury.
I have had comments from other players about the balls at the beginning of the year and that they had a significant impact on the shoulders, wrists, and arm in general. I think that’s where my injury comes from,” Tsitsipas said, per SDNA.
Tsitsipas hopes to be pain-free in Miami
In late February, Tsitsipas withdrew from Acapulco. At the Indian Wells Masters, Tsitsipas returned to action. But it didn’t go well for Tsitsipas as he was clearly in certain discomfort and he suffered a surprise defeat in his opener against Jordan Thompson.
Now, Tsitsipas is hoping to at least be pain-free in Miami. “I hope to play (in Miami) without pain and be able to get on the court and show something different than what I did in Indian Wells. It was a tournament where I suffered a lot, it was not easy to be on the court and somehow I was forced to do it.
Actually, I didn’t want to do it. There are certain ATP rules that force you to play these big events and I’m not a player who likes to retire or give up after a few games. Hopefully I can get on the court here and enjoy it a little more, have a little fun and not think too much about my hand.
Fortunately, I feel better now,” Tsitsipas said. In Miami, Tsitsipas is the second-seeded player and has a first-round bye. In his Miami opener, Tsitsipas will play the winner of the match between Christopher O’Connell and Richard Gasquet.
