2024-03-07 20:04:11
Threads fly out of the ball in droves, and after one exchange, it becomes a giant yellow ball. Swiss tennis veteran Stan Wawrinka leaned against the American organizers of Indian Wells because of the balloons with which the “fifth grand slam” of the season is played. At the same time, the former third-ranked player in the world faces a clash with Czech youngster Tomáš Macháč in California.
A tournament in tennis paradise, the fifth Grand Slam of the season, a holiday in the Californian desert. The business in Indian Wells has had a lot of funny nicknames throughout its history.
A lot of players come here with pleasure. Apart from the sharp wind that often blows in from the sand plains, there is a modern facility. In addition, amazing nature and generously subsidized matches.
But this time, even before the event began, a volley of criticism poured down on the organizers. And at its head is the veteran spider man, thirty-eight-year-old Swiss Stan Wawrinka.
“I have a question. Is it normal that at one of the biggest tournaments in the world we have to do a second practice with old balls? This is how the ball looks after one change,” wrote the former third-ranked player on the X social network.
And he is far from alone. Former American player Andy Roddick, who now serves as a TV tennis pundit, joined him on social media.
“I’ve gotten independent texts from two of the top coaches at Indian Wells in the last hour about how terrible the balls are out there this year. They’re so destroyed after just a few minutes of just warming up,” he lamented about the Penn-brand balloons.
According to some players, the slow surface, which at least in the first days resembles sandpaper, is responsible for the shameful durability of the balls.
However, nobody from the official places commented on the criticism, the tournament has started and Wawrinka is waiting for the first round, in which he will play against the Czech talent Tomáš Macháč.
And after the experienced Swiss had a poor start to the season, winning only one match out of four, he certainly does not belong in the role of favourite.
“I didn’t have a good pre-season preparation because I was injured in the last tournament of the season. But I still believe that I can achieve some good result, it’s only the beginning of the year,” Wawrinka thinks.
However, bookmakers also believe in the 15-year-old Czech. While Wawrinka is ranked 70th on the circuit and is falling in the ranking, the tennis player from Beroun rises higher and higher every week, and is currently slowly peeking into the top 60.
Whether the forecasts are correct will be clear on Thursday evening, when both players should reach the court in Indian Wells after 8 p.m.