ATP official responds to Roger Federer’s claim that courts are slower for Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner

The director of the Cincinnati Open has pushed back against Roger Federer’s comments that the ATP Tour is becoming slower to favour Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

Speaking on Andy Roddick’s Served podcast, Federer said, “We, the tournament directors, need to fix it,” in reference to what he perceives as a slowing trend across tour courts.

He went on to add: “Tournament directors kind of like having Sinner and Alcaraz in the finals – it kind of works for the game.”

But one tournament director has pushed back, saying decisions around court speed are not influenced by what suits Alcaraz or Sinner.

ATP tournament director says courts are not becoming slower for Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner

The Cincinnati Open is known as one of the fastest events on the ATP calendar, and its tournament director has pushed back against Federer’s remarks.

“Trying to create something that benefits certain players never goes through our head – not even close,” he said.

“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.