Alexander Zverev favouritism claims stir debate over court speeds in tennis

• Alexander Zverev favouritism claims are valid
• Roger Federer supported Zverev;s claims calling for change
• Sinner felt that Zverev was wrong in his assessment 

Alexander Zverev favouritism claims have sparked heated debate in the ATP Tour.

The German tennis star now ranked world No. 3 suggested that tournament organisers are intentionally adjusting court speeds to benefit the world’s top two players, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

Following his straight-sets victory over Valentin Royer at the Shanghai Masters, Zverev voiced frustration about what he perceives as a growing uniformity in tennis surfaces.

He said that the uninformity of playing styles favours Alcaraz and Sinner.

After his 6-4, 6-4 win, Zverev said he disliked the trend of having similar court conditions across tournaments. He added that tournament officials preferred the two young stars to excel consistently.

The German remarked that modern tennis was losing its diversity in playing styles, something he considers crucial to the sport’s identity.

Context on Alexander Zverev Favouritism Claims

In his post-match comments, the world No 3 ATP player said that Alexander Zverev favouritism claims were not about individual players but rather about how tournaments are managed.

In his view, most courts today play almost the same, regardless of surface or event, and that this uniformity diminishes the essence of tennis.

He expressed a desire to see more variety in playing conditions, insisting that diversity once forced players to adapt and develop distinct skill sets.

For Zverev, the current direction of surface standardisation risks turning every match into the same contest, regardless of location or surface type.

The 2025 Shanghai Masters, particularly, came under scrutiny for its noticeably slower playing surface. Reports show a significant drop in the court pace index (CPI) from 40–41 in previous years to 32.9 this season.

This slow pace made rallies longer and they favoured baseline players like Alcaraz and Sinner.

Roger Federer and Jannik Sinner Respond to Favouritism Claims

When asked Alexander Zverev favouritism claims comments, Jannik Sinner responded diplomatically. The Italian said that neither he nor Alcaraz had any influence on how courts are prepared.

He maintained that top players simply adapt to whatever conditions are presented to them.

Sinner stated that while surface speeds differ slightly from event to event, professional players must learn to adjust quickly, which is part of competing at the highest level.

He added that he had performed well on both fast and slow courts, noting that adaptability determines success.

Interestingly, retired tennis star Roger Federer partly supported Alexander Zverev favouritism claims.

Speaking on the Served with Andy Roddick podcast, Federer wished organisers would bring back greater surface diversity. He argued that fans deserved to see stars like Alcaraz and Sinner challenged on both extremely fast and slow courts, just as players in earlier eras were tested.

Federer explained that by standardising court speeds and ball types, tournaments were making it easier for players to maintain dominance across multiple events.

According to him, this could reduce the strategic and technical variety that once defined tennis.

How Important is Tennis Surface Variety?

Alexander Zverev favouritism claim reignited the discussion about tennis surfaces.  Several active players, including Nick Kyrgios, have previously criticized tennis’ move toward slower, more uniform courts.

Kyrgios, known for his attacking game, once said that tennis had lost the excitement of fast-paced, aggressive rallies, which once rewarded risk-taking and creativity.

Tournament directors, however, defend their approach as a way to balance fairness and entertainment value. For example, former U.S. Open director Stacey Allaster explained that the event’s surface speed is carefully calibrated.

She said officials aim for a “medium-fast” rating at the start of each tournament to ensure competitive balance while still allowing for stylistic variety as play progresses.

Nevertheless, the Shanghai Masters’ significant slowdown this year has raised eyebrows. Analysts suggest the change benefits counterpunchers and baseline grinders over big servers and net-rushers, inadvertently shaping tournament outcomes.