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Tennis Australia Defends Dunlop Balls Amidst Player Criticism

Tomic slammed the Dunlop ball after playing with it for the first time at the Kooyong Classic yesterdayGETTY IMAGES

Tennis Australia has defended the new Dunlop balls that will be used during the upcoming Australian Open "against accusations from Bernard Tomic and other players that they are cheaply made and poor quality," according to Chloe Booker of the Melbourne AGE. Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley said that the organization had "received positive feedback from most players" about the Dunlop balls since signing a five-year deal last year to switch from Wilson. However, Tomic "slammed the Dunlop ball after playing with it for the first time" at the Kooyong Classic yesterday. He said, "I don’t know what the Australian Open has done, but it is terrible. ... I don’t feel like it is that good of a ball. I think they’re pretty cheap from what I’ve heard." Tiley said that testing "showed no noticeable difference in the performance between the two ball brands." Booker notes the Dunlop balls "received better feedback from Australia's top-ranked player Ashleigh Barty after her opening round win" at the Sydney Int'l yesterday. Barty: "They are not much different from the previous Wilson ball and I think they are a very fair ball" (THEAGE.com.au, 1/9). In Sydney, Paul Sakkal notes Tomic’s comments "echo those made by players" last fall when the Dunlop balls were first used (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 1/9).

JOINING THE TREND: The ATP Tour is the latest entity to sign with Dunlop, reaching a five-year deal with the company that will see it become the official ball of the tour and the Nitto ATP Finals beginning this year. Dunlop also will become a Silver Partner of both the ATP Tour and the Nitto ATP Finals. Dunlop balls will be used at other high-profile ATP events (ATP).

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