Top-ranked Iga Swiatek questions why US Open still uses different tennis balls for men and women

Reigning world No. 1 and two-time major champion Iga Swiatek called the balls used at the US Open «horrible» during a news conference at the Western & Southern Open this week, and questioned why women and men use different balls at the major. It is the only Grand Slam tournament to not utilize the same balls for all players.

«I don't know why they are different than men's ones,» Swiatek said on Wednesday. «I don't know, like 15 years ago probably women had some elbow injuries because the balls were heavier and they changed them to women's balls, but right now we are so physically well prepared that I don't think it would happen. Plus we can't get those balls in Europe, or actually, when we buy them at store, they are totally different than the tournament balls, so when I'm practicing with US Open balls at home [in Poland], I'm practicing with men's ones...

»I feel, it's really hard to control [the women's balls], but everybody has same conditions, so we are trying to deal with that. I don't get why they are different, honestly."

The balls are also used during the lead-in swing, including the Western & Southern Open and last week's Canadian Open. Swiatek, who had a 37-match win streak earlier this season, lost in the Round of 16 to Madison Keys on Thursday in Cincinnati, and fell in the same round in Toronto.

Swiatek said players have complained about it amongst one another, and said she and Paula Badosa, currently ranked No. 4, spoke to WTA CEO and chairman Steve Simon last year about their concerns and asked if they could switch to use the same ball as the men.

«I don't think it would be a problem because it's still the same company, it's Wilson, but, yeah, maybe we should push a bit more,» Swiatek said. «I stopped