At US Open, complaints about the ball before 1st one struck

By BRIAN MAHONEY
AP Sports Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Days before the first one is struck in the tournament, the ball is a topic of discussion at the U.S. Open. It’s the only Grand Slam event where men and women use different versions of the ball, and top-ranked Iga Swiatek is among the women frustrated that their lighter one doesn’t perform as well. The women play with a “regular duty” felt ball, while the men hit an “extra duty” ball. The U.S. Tennis Association says it consults with the men’s and women’s tours about what type of ball to use. Swiatek and others hope for a change to a discrepancy that’s been in place for decades in New York.