World number three Alexander Zverev has accused tournament directors of deliberately slowing down courts to favor Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, calling for more variety in the sport. Speaking at the Shanghai Masters on Saturday, Zverev voiced concerns about court speeds on the tour—a trend previously noted by Swiss legend Roger Federer.
Federer had criticized the slower courts, saying they allow players to perform the same way on clay, grass, and hard courts, and expressed a desire to see Alcaraz and Sinner adjust to faster conditions. Zverev echoed these views but went further, targeting tournament directors directly.
“I hate when it’s the same, and I know that tournament directors are heading in that direction because they obviously want Jannik and Carlos to succeed at every event—that’s what they prefer,” Zverev said during an on-court interview.
“I’ve been on tour for 12 years. We always had different surfaces. There were tournaments you loved and tournaments you didn’t enjoy as much.”
Alcaraz, 22, has already claimed six Grand Slam titles, while Sinner has won four, with the top two players sharing the last eight majors between them.
“You couldn’t play tennis the same way on grass, hard, and clay courts. Nowadays, you can almost play the same style on every surface. I don’t like it. I’m not a fan of it,” Zverev added.
He emphasized the need for diversity in playing styles: “Tennis needs variety, and I think we’re lacking that right now.”
Meanwhile, Alcaraz withdrew from the Shanghai Masters due to an ankle injury, while second seed Sinner progressed to the next round, facing Zverev. Asked whether courts were being standardized to favor him and Alcaraz, Sinner responded diplomatically:
“Carlos and I don’t make the courts. It’s not our decision. We just try to adapt to every situation. Every week is a bit different. I’ve played great tennis even on faster courts. My focus is on adapting and playing my best, that’s all.”
