What i understand they are more injuried to the slower ball. With the new ball i have changed to faster equipment to try to counter that. Can not the pros Do the same? So they get more help But Maybe then they lose to much in serve and return. Or Maybe they have sligthly faster things now compared ro before.
well, there is no doubt there is faster equipment out there now, but what is speed measurement on the bat if the ball is rotating less (spin reduction) and the time the ball takes to travel in the air is so much more
During the 1st year of the 2-3 year transition, I recall hearing from the CNT that the B team had 2 years of testing on the new ball by DHS protypes - I had 2 protypes balls too.
This was before 40+ was released to any other countries - since the only factory making it was both in China at that stage.
The B team coaches conclusion was that the players needed more physical training as the physical demand on the body has increase a lot more than 40mm
How I read that is:
1) the ball is slower, thus rallies on longer = physical demand is higher
2) the ball has less spin, thus player needs to change technique and use more physical strength = physical demand is higher
Due to this, The A team started to use an American psychical trainer, I can't remember if it was from the NBA or what other sporting code, but for a whole good 3 years (this includes going into the 1st year of 40+ for the public - with no stock) the focus was on physical training. As well as physiotherapy for body recovery.
I'm not sure about you, but I have seen your top 10 players having less threat against world 50/ world 100 player
Before gap was very high, now the gap is more narrow.
I have also seen older players are getting injured more (25yrs +)
I have also seen from my coaching/training sessions, that my students are getting less quality balls over - but was working as hard.
I feel there is no doubt the quality of rallies has dropped while the physical demand of the body has increased a lot.
This is not something that equipment can fix - maybe the game will become more and more slower in the next decades....
The pros has been changing and adapting equipment, as well as tecnique and physical training.
but that doesn't help reduce the rally length.
imagine if every point is now 20+ rallies.
that is very taxing for the player and the body can only hold it in for so long.....