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Does Federer have a point? Are courts being slowed to aid Alcaraz and Sinner?

Published

7 months ago

October 9, 2025

Roger Federer set tongues wagging last month when he said tournament directors like uniformly slow courts because they increase the chance of a final between superstars Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

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The world number three Alex Zverev agreed, saying tournament directors “obviously want Jannik and Carlos to do well every tournament”.

The top two in the world have indeed met in the final of the past five tournaments they both entered – and they have been played on clay, grass and hard courts.

There is a strong argument to say they would also prevail on ice and sand, but there is no doubt court speeds have become much more uniform over the past 20 years.

There were “two completely separate tours” in the 1980s and 1990s, according to former British number one Jeremy Bates: those who played on the clay, and those who played on the fast courts.

But are Federer’s instincts backed up by the data? BBC Sport takes a look at the numbers and asks the tournament director in Cincinnati whether a slow court makes sound business sense.

‘We tournament directors need to fix it’

Federer was speaking to Andy Roddick’s Served podcast at the Laver Cup in San Francisco.

As a driving force behind the annual team competition, he has a say on many things – including court speed. And the 20-time Grand Slam champion admits the court in California was too slow.

“We, the tournament directors, need to fix it,” Federer told Roddick.

“We need to have not only fast courts, but what we would want to see is Alcaraz and Sinner figure it out on lightning fast [courts] and then have the same match on super slow – and then see how that matches up.

“Now everybody plays similar – it’s because the tournament directors have allowed, with the ball speed and the court speed, that every week is basically the same and that’s why you can just go from winning French, Wimbledon, US Open and just play the same way.

“I understand the safety net the tournament directors see [by] making the surface slower.

“For the weaker player, he has to hit extra amazing shots to beat Sinner, whereas if it’s quick, he can only maybe blast a few at the right time and he gets past.

“That’s why the tournament directors kind of like having Sinner and Alcaraz in the finals – it kind of works for the game.”

With the exception of this week’s tournament in Shanghai, the data shows the courts at this year’s Masters 1000 events have been faster than they were in 2017 – one of the first years regular data was provided.

But even the quickest court – in Toronto, where this year’s Canadian event was held – is only rated as medium-fast.

While there is some variety between the venues, it is also true to say players do not need to alter their game style very much to be successful on hard, clay and grass courts.

These numbers are based on limited readings from the main show courts, and other factors do come into play. Heat and humidity can affect the court speed, and balls and string technology also play a significant part.

The ATP now has greater oversight of the balls used on the men’s tour. By ensuring the same ball is used consistently at, say, each summer North American hard court event, it hopes tournaments will be better equipped to decide what type of court preparation will produce the speed they desire.

And advances in string technology allow “balls hit with a lot of topspin on hard, clay and grass courts to react far more similarly to each other than flat shots bouncing on the respective surfaces,” according to Iain Macleod, the creative lead for tennis at Hawk-Eye Innovations.

Officiating technology, which covers all court lines for ‘out’ calls, has been compulsory at all ATP events from the start of the year. It means the organisation will in future have a wealth of data from show courts and outside courts to draw on.

And, in case you are wondering, hard courts can be slowed down by adding sand and grit to the paint. This creates a rougher texture and greater friction.

‘Creating something to benefit certain players never goes through our head’

And so to the million dollar question.

Would a tournament director consider slowing down a court to increase – still further – the chance of a Sinner-Alcaraz final?

“Trying to create something that benefits certain players never goes through our head – not even close,” said Bob Moran, who runs the ATP and WTA 1000 events in Cincinnati.

“We were fast, and we had Sinner and Alcaraz [in the final]. For the three years I’ve been doing this in Cincinnati, the players have come back to me that they feel fast – to every player.

“What we were really striving for this year was consistency throughout the swing. When they hit the States, in Washington DC, through to the US Open.

“We all decided that we wanted to be in that medium-fast to fast range. Our goal – consistent speeds, consistent ball – and that’s what we are being told by the players they want.”

Would tennis be fun on a ‘lightning quick’ court?

Bates was on tour between 1980 and 1996. He rarely played on a slow court.

“In that period of time, there were two completely separate tours,” he explained.

“You had all the players who played on the clay, and then you had everyone else who played on the fast courts and the only time you would see the clay court players would be at the French [Open] and the only time we would see [those that preferred fast courts] would be at Wimbledon and the other Slams.

“All the indoor courts we played on were super slick. It was a question of how quick you could get to the net.

“Most of the top 20 were serve-volleying. Some were playing from the back of the court. That’s what actually made it interesting to watch because you had two completely contrasting game styles, and now you are in a situation where the vast majority of players you watch just cancel each other out.”

Patrick Mouratoglou, the former coach of Serena Williams, says the move to slow down the courts “killed a generation of serve and volley players”.

“But I think it is better for the game because otherwise you would have too many aces and serve winners, which I think is very boring,” he said.

“If you think about it, tennis is very slow. Ace is one second of play, and 30 seconds of wait on tour, which is crazy when you think about it – especially in today’s world when consumers don’t wait that much, and when there is no action you lose them.”

And what if the Cincinnati tournament tried to increase their court speed still further?

“We would hear it, we would definitely hear it from the players,” Moran continued.

“I think we were a little bit faster than normal last year. Players were telling us we were wicked fast last year – almost like ice. I don’t know if we could get much faster than we were last year.

“In my mind great points, point construction, rallies – I think that’s what the fans are looking for.”

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Paige Spiranac’s surprising NFL fandom confession triggers heated debate over loyalty, authenticity, and fan culture

Published

9 hours ago

April 23, 2026

Earnings

The 2026 NFL Draft starts Thursday night in Pittsburgh, and the spotlight isn’t only on prospects and front offices. Golf influencer Paige Spiranac has again found herself pulled into NFL conversation, this time for her open support of multiple teams.

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With the Steelers hosting the first round, her long-standing connection to Pittsburgh has resurfaced. But it’s not just about hometown ties. Her broader fandom, which stretches beyond one franchise, continues to draw mixed reactions at a time when fan loyalty is often treated as non-negotiable.

Paige Spiranac roots for 2 NFL teams: Who are they?

Paige Spiranac has never hidden where her loyalties lie, even if they don’t fit the usual mold. She has consistently pointed to her roots while leaving space for other allegiances.

“Both my parents are from Pittsburgh so I’ve been a Steelers ..fan since the day I was born. I also love the Bills. It’s a complicated relationship…Who’s your team?” she previously asked her followers. It’s a candid admission, one that reflects personal history more than calculated fandom.

Still, the reaction has been sharp. NFL culture tends to rew ..

Entertainment

Quiet moments on the course can say a lot about what’s coming next.

Published

10 hours ago

April 23, 2026

Earnings

Sometimes the most important work happens when nobody is really watching.
Lexi Thompson was out on the 18th green, working through her putting during a practice round ahead of the Chevron Championship in Houston.

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It’s a simple scene, but it shows the kind of quiet preparation that goes into these big tournaments—getting the feel of the greens, adjusting to conditions, and building trust in every stroke.

These are the small details that can shape how a player starts when the pressure kicks in.

Entertainment

Predicting what will happen to Bryson DeChambeau and Phil Mickelson if LIV Golf collapses

Published

11 hours ago

April 23, 2026

Earnings

It looks like LIV Golf is over.

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The Saudi Public Investment Fund has reportedly decided that this league simply isn’t worth the hole it’s burning in their pocket, and they’re pulling funds at the end of 2026.

That gives them less than a year to seek new investment. While CEO Scott O’Neil seems confident, it’s going to be extremely difficult to secure funding for a league that is operating at such eye-watering losses.

So this probably pulls the curtain closed on one of the most turbulent, frustrating, confusing, and ridiculous eras in golfing history. Hopefully, we can all return to some reality after the year is over.

But there is still so much uncertainty surrounding golf’s future thanks to this. Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed saw the signs early and jumped ship, but they did that with some leverage. So what on earth is going to happen to the rest of these players who didn’t take the olive branch when it was offered to them?

Feelings will be hurt, and careers will be ended. Let’s take a look.

Jon Rahm rejoins the PGA Tour

Koepka returned to the PGA Tour under the returning member program, which saw him pay $5 million to charity, accept that he’ll receive no FedEx Cup bonus money, and agree he cannot be a sponsor exemption for the 2026 signature events.

That same deal was offered to Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau. They didn’t accept it, but a similar offer will likely be handed out to them again.

If LIV Golf folds, Rahm will not hold the same leverage as Koepka did, but he is a bigger star at this stage of his career. Make no mistake, the PGA Tour will want him back immediately.

But Rahm does risk leaving himself without any options at all. Reed didn’t come straight back to the PGA Tour, so he’s spending a year on the DP World Tour first. You’d imagine Rahm would consider doing the same, but it might not be so easy for him.

Rahm is in a feud with the DP World Tour, as the only one of eight players to reject a deal which would have seen him retain his full-time membership. If Rahm agreed to play in six DP World Tour events this year, then he could have played on both LIV Golf and the tour. He did not agree.

For now, his membership is at risk. So, will it be possible for him to spend a season on the DP World Tour like Reed? Maybe not. That makes it all the more likely that Rahm will be back on the PGA Tour the moment LIV folds.

Bryson DeChambeau does YouTube full-time

With DeChambeau, I don’t think it’s as much of a done deal that he returns to the PGA Tour. Not immediately anyway.

He’s been negotiating his contract with LIV, which expires at the end of this season. During these negotiations, he’s made it very clear that he is completely willing to step away from full-time competition and be a full-time YouTuber.

DeChambeau’s channel has over two million subscribers, so he could feasibly do that with all of the money he’s making there.

He was annoyed to see LIV move to a four-day format, so he could commit himself fully to being the content king. It would be a wild thing to do, but it’s also exactly the kind of move you could see the two-time major winner making.

He could qualify for The Open Championship and the US Open, and earn enough points there to play The Masters and the PGA Championship. It’s possible.

He does seem to live for competition, so maybe YouTube won’t quite scratch the itch, but it is on the table for DeChambeau. At least for a year until his suspension expires. Out of Rahm and DeChambeau, the American is absolutely the least likely to take a deal.