Zverev Slams Tennis Authorities for Favoring Sinner and Alcaraz

Zverev and Federer call for more variety in court speeds

Alexander Zverev criticizes tennis authorities for standardizing court surfaces, favoring top players like Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.

“I hate when it's the same. I know the tournament directors are going towards that direction because obviously...”

Alexander Zverev has backed Roger Federer's comments that tennis tournaments are favoring top players Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner with their choice of court surfaces. After his win over Valentin Royer at the Shanghai Masters, Zverev expressed his frustration with the standardization of court surfaces, saying, “I hate when it's the same.” He believes tournament directors are shaping surfaces to suit Alcaraz and Sinner, allowing them to excel in every tournament.

Alexander Zverev says tournament directors are deliberately making court speeds slower to favour Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/NOM4yeOiYY

— TNT Sports (@tntsports) October 4, 2025

Zverev's comments echo Federer's recent criticism of the lack of variety in court speeds on tour. Federer stated that tennis needs different game styles and more variety, which is currently lacking. Zverev agrees, mentioning that in his 12 years on the tour, surfaces have always been different, and players have had to adapt. However, nowadays, the surfaces are so standardized that players can play almost the same way on every surface.

The Shanghai Masters has seen a significant decrease in court speed, with the Court Pace Index (CPI) dropping to 32.9, making the courts noticeably slower. This change has sparked debate among players, with some like Nick Kyrgios also calling for more variety in surface speeds. Zverev's concerns about the favoritism towards Alcaraz and Sinner highlight the need for tennis authorities to reassess their approach to court surfaces and tournament organization.

Businesslike 👔

Looking to finish the year strong Alexander Zverev kicks off his Shanghai campaign with a 6-4 6-4 win over Royer 💪#RolexShanghaiMasters pic.twitter.com/YDsQP3AzKZ

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) October 4, 2025

Alexander Zverev expressed his frustration with the current state of tennis court surfaces, echoing comments made by Roger Federer. After his straight-sets victory over Valentin Royer at the Shanghai Masters, Zverev said, “I hate when it's the same. I know the tournament directors are going towards that direction because obviously they want Jannik [Sinner] and Carlos [Alcaraz] to do well at every tournament, and that's what they prefer” Zverev believes that the standardization of court surfaces is detrimental to the sport, reducing the need for players to adapt to different conditions.

Zverev emphasized that tennis used to thrive on surface diversity, allowing for contrasting styles and unpredictable matchups. He stated, “You couldn't play tennis the same way on a grass court, hard court, or clay court. Nowadays, you can play almost the same way on every surface, so I don't like it, I'm not a fan of it.” This sentiment is shared by Federer, who recently expressed concerns about the lack of variety in court speeds and its impact on the game.

The Shanghai Masters has seen a significant decrease in court speed, with the Court Pace Index (CPI) dropping to 32.9, making the courts noticeably slower. This change has sparked debate among players, with some like Nick Kyrgios also calling for more variety in surface speeds. Zverev's comments highlight the need for tennis authorities to reassess their approach to court surfaces and tournament organization.

Roger Federer believes that changing up court surfaces would definitely amp up the competition in tennis. He thinks tournament directors are giving a helping hand to top players like Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz by favoring slower court speeds. This sentiment is echoed by Alexander Zverev, who feels that the standardization of surfaces is detrimental to the sport.

Zverev expressed frustration with the current state of tennis court surfaces, stating, “I hate when it's the same.” He believes tournament directors want Sinner and Alcaraz to perform well in every tournament, which is why they're going in that direction. In contrast, Sinner remains focused on adapting to the conditions, saying, “I'm just a player who tries to adapt myself in the best possible way.”

“This is how it is already since a long time,” he said recently in Beijing.

“I'm just a player who tries to adapt myself in the best possible way.”

Alexander Zverev noted that he's witnessed a significant shift in court surfaces over his decade-long professional career, with surfaces becoming increasingly standardized and slower. This change has reduced the variety that once existed, forcing players to adapt less to different court conditions. Zverev believes this trend favors certain players, like Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, who thrive on these slower surfaces.

“You couldn't play the same tennis the same way on a grass court, hard court, or clay court. Nowadays, you can play almost the same way on every surface,” he said.

“I'm not a fan of it, I think tennis needs game styles... a little bit of variety, and I think we're lacking that right now.”