Paris Masters 2025: Court will be slowed down.

[Rattie]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1978077340136599911

According to the article:

“The surface of the Paris Masters 1000 will be slightly slowed down in order to get closer to the playing conditions of the ATP Finals in Turin, played a week later.”

Over the last 4 years, only in 2024 did Paris record faster playing conditions than Turin (45.5 vs 39.4 CPI, via courtspeed.com).

In fact, the 2024 Paris Masters reached 45.5 CPI, making it the fastest conditions on tour in more than 4 years.

Based on this article (interview with tournament director), I assume that this year’s court speed in Paris should be around 40+ CPI — still on the faster side, just not as lightning quick as last year.”


I guess Zverev will have something to say….

 

[Shaolin]

Wow what a surprise.

 

[4UTRMoutet]

As much as I love slow conditions, this is rather upsetting to me.

 

[Rattie]

As much as I love slow conditions, this is rather upsetting to me.

It’s still not what you would call slow.

 

[N01E]

At this rate, Cincy '28 will be played on clay.

 

[MissileBackHand99]

this isn't anything new. Bercy tournament organizers have been tinkering with tournament conditions and surfaces for 20 years. They famously wanted to get Fed to play the tournament (after 2003) and got rid of the carpet and put in a hardcourt to his team's nearly exact specifications in 2009 and 2010. Slowing the HCs at the Paris Masters isn't gonna be the end of the tennis world

 

[aldeayeah]

Turin plays pretty fast, so as long as Paris stays in that general vicinity it's fine, I think.

 

[Kralingen]

Turin plays pretty fast, so as long as Paris stays in that general vicinity it's fine, I think.

What’s Spanish for “Overton window”?

 

[Steve Sassou]

They famously wanted to get Fed to play the tournament (after 2003) and got rid of the carpet and put in a hardcourt to his team's nearly exact specifications in 2009 and 2010.

Ballerina ended carpet.

But this couldn't avoid that he ended for 2 same era players as a fluffy doormat.

He should have advocated for carpet as a slam surface - because there were no Becker, Sampras ... around anymore.

 

[ALCARAZWON]

Zverev's groundstrokes are slow no matter how fast the court is whereas Alcaraz/Sinner's groundstrokes are faster than anything Zverev is capable of so the slower surfaces help Zverev stay in the rallies...but actually Zverev isn't even good enough to make it that far, as he's only played Alcaraz/Sinner ONCE each this year (AO and Cincy, and Zverev didn't win a set).

 

[GRASScaraz]

Zverev needed that 45CPI surface to have a chance to defend his title

 

[ChrisRF]

He should have advocated for carpet as a slam surface - because there were no Becker, Sampras ... around anymore.

It was for injury reasons. And to think that peak Federer would have feared Becker and Sampras is ridiculous. Remember Federer won the WTF undefeated 4 times. Becker and Sampras combined a big fat ZERO.

 

[Hitman]

Turin plays pretty fast, so as long as Paris stays in that general vicinity it's fine, I think.

I was thinking the same thing.

 

[Rovesciarete]

I prefer a wide range of court speeds and playing conditions, so I hope that it will still be faster than Turin. Lately they have overcorrected, for example in Shanghai.

 

[thrust]

At this rate, Cincy '28 will be played on clay.

I believe that Cinci was a clay court tournament, when it first began.

 

[ALCARAZWON]

Zverev's gameplan on every surface is to push and wait for his opponent to make an unforced error.
Slow hardcourt gives Zverev his best chance of beating an elite player, with more time to retrieve and extend the rally.
If the court is faster, Alcaraz/Sinner would hit through him too easily, thereby ruining Z's mind-numbing artistry.

 

[Spielgame]

No matter how fast the court is, if they use tennis balls that are as fluffy as Angora Rabbits, everything is played like in a slo mo.

 

[Break To Win]

The old Fed was right

 

[mike danny]

Ballerina ended carpet.

But this couldn't avoid that he ended for 2 same era players as a fluffy doormat.

He should have advocated for carpet as a slam surface - because there were no Becker, Sampras ... around anymore.

this isn't anything new. Bercy tournament organizers have been tinkering with tournament conditions and surfaces for 20 years. They famously wanted to get Fed to play the tournament (after 2003) and got rid of the carpet and put in a hardcourt to his team's nearly exact specifications in 2009 and 2010. Slowing the HCs at the Paris Masters isn't gonna be the end of the tennis world

He skipped Paris in 2004 and 2005 because of injury and on 2006 because he prioritised Basel

 

[mike danny]

It was for injury reasons. And to think that peak Federer would have feared Becker and Sampras is ridiculous. Remember Federer won the WTF undefeated 4 times. Becker and Sampras combined a big fat ZERO.

5 times

 

[Holmes]

Zverev needed that 45CPI surface to have a chance to defend his title

Especially if @messiahrobins enters the field and exposes his forehand.

 

[Break To Win]

The saddest thing about this is that neither Sinner nor Alcaraz needed the courts to slow down for them to win.

That was the magic of the 1990s; in this sport, the winners were those who adapted to the conditions

 

[MissileBackHand99]

I believe that Cinci was a clay court tournament, when it first began.

Yup was a clay court event until 1979--first on red brick and then on Har-Tru clay

He skipped Paris in 2004 and 2005 because of injury and on 2006 because he prioritised Basel

Which I totally understand, as Basel is his home tournament (and Bercy for me is one of the least prestigious M 1000s). But the tournament organizers still got rid of the carpet and installed a hardcourt to Fed's recommendations in order for him to eventually come there and eventually win (in a wonderful match vs Tsonga) in 2011. They've admitted to this in a L'Eqiupe magazine article a few years back

 

[Third Serve]

Paris used to be quite a bit slower back in the day. During the 10's it was like sandpaper. I felt like it got sped up near the end of that decade.

 

[ChrisJR3264]

The saddest thing about this is that neither Sinner nor Alcaraz needed the courts to slow down for them to win.

That was the magic of the 1990s; in this sport, the winners were those who adapted to the conditions

Yeah I agree. I dont think they need them slowed down.
But I do think they both know they’re the few that can easily hit through slower conditions better than others.

 

[leodevlin]

Congrats Carlos on winning Paris 2025.

 

[Rovesciarete]

Yup was a clay court event until 1979--first on red brick and then on Har-Tru clay

Didn't know that, interesting. If we want to have more variety in game styles we need also more variety in (court) conditions.

 

[octobrina10]

... (and Bercy for me is one of the least prestigious M 1000s). But the tournament organizers still got rid of the carpet and installed a hardcourt to Fed's recommendations in order for him to eventually come there and eventually win (in a wonderful match vs Tsonga) in 2011. They've admitted to this in a L'Eqiupe magazine article a few years back

True. And the Paris Masters organizers adjusted the speed of a hardourt several times (during several years) to make it suitable to Fed.

¤¤ Jean-François Caujolle, former Paris Tournament Director shared some interesting words with L'Equipe (3 Nov 2018, translated from French):
"It was the year 2007 and since 2003 Federer hand't played the tournament. Then we put in contact with his team and asked them why he wasn't coming. It turned out that he didn't like the surface we had then at all (carpet) and advised us to contact an Austrian company which designed a type of resin similar to that of Vienna. We did and fulfilled his wishes. We got in contact in with the company and changed the surface. When he came to Paris he noticed that there wasn't much of a difference among surfaces in the circuit and told us that it felt like the ones in Indian Wells and Miami, where he had lost twice against Guillermo Cañas"

"I started looking for materials to give a lower bounce and turn the game faster. In 2010 we managed to build the fastest court in the world. That one clearly suited a lot better Federer's game than Nadal's [smiles]. The curious thing was that that year players like Ljubicic and Isner lost in the first round. The court didn't seem to favour the big servers but the best volleyers. Finally, in 2011 Federer was able to win the tournament. Since then, the court has been slowed down a bit but I'd still say it's the fastest one in the Masters circuit." ¤¤

Jean-François Caujolle raconte le sacre de Federer: «On a suivi ses prérogatives»

Directeur du tournoi de Bercy de 2007 à 2011, Jean-François Caujolle avait un rêve : que Federer gagne à Paris. Il l'a exaucé, n'hésitant pas à suivre les desiderata du Suisse.

www.lequipe.fr

 

[fafa]

Turin plays pretty fast, so as long as Paris stays in that general vicinity it's fine, I think.

It plays fast because of the altitude, like Madrid. That's why Nadal doesn't have 10+ titles there..

 

[leodevlin]

True. And the Paris Masters organizers adjusted the speed of a hardourt several times (during several years) to make it suitable to Fed.

¤¤ Jean-François Caujolle, former Paris Tournament Director shared some interesting words with L'Equipe (3 Nov 2018, translated from French):
"It was the year 2007 and since 2003 Federer hand't played the tournament. Then we put in contact with his team and asked them why he wasn't coming. It turned out that he didn't like the surface we had then at all (carpet) and advised us to contact an Austrian company which designed a type of resin similar to that of Vienna. We did and fulfilled his wishes. We got in contact in with the company and changed the surface. When he came to Paris he noticed that there wasn't much of a difference among surfaces in the circuit and told us that it felt like the ones in Indian Wells and Miami, where he had lost twice against Guillermo Cañas"

"I started looking for materials to give a lower bounce and turn the game faster. In 2010 we managed to build the fastest court in the world. That one clearly suited a lot better Federer's game than Nadal's [smiles]. The curious thing was that that year players like Ljubicic and Isner lost in the first round. The court didn't seem to favour the big servers but the best volleyers. Finally, in 2011 Federer was able to win the tournament. Since then, the court has been slowed down a bit but I'd still say it's the fastest one in the Masters circuit." ¤¤

Jean-François Caujolle raconte le sacre de Federer: «On a suivi ses prérogatives»

Directeur du tournoi de Bercy de 2007 à 2011, Jean-François Caujolle avait un rêve : que Federer gagne à Paris. Il l'a exaucé, n'hésitant pas à suivre les desiderata du Suisse.

www.lequipe.fr

Ah well , poor Fed only got an M1000 .

Nadal would have never won two wimbledons if they hadn't shamelessly slowed down the grass to hardcourt level.

 

[DSH]

Ah well , poor Fed only got an M1000 .

Nadal would have never won two wimbledons if they hadn't shamelessly slowed down the grass to hardcourt level.

They slowed down Wimbledon since 2001, before your idol's dominance there began.
Leave opinions aside, the fact is that they made the change to make the game more homogeneous for everyone but the difference will always lie in the players with the greatest skills to impose their game on their opponents on the court.

 

[leodevlin]

They slowed down Wimbledon since 2001, before your idol's dominance there began.
Leave opinions aside, the fact is that they made the change to make the game more homogeneous for everyone but the difference will always lie in the players with the greatest skills to impose their game on their opponents on the court.

Who do you think would have benefited more if they hadn't ?

 

[Chairman3]

Boring, wake me when they speed it back up

 

[albatros_forehand]

Unwatchable. Just like pickleball

 

[StefanosRespecter]

Bublik and Popyrin didn't shake hands, is there beef between them?

 

[Fabrivitx]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1978077340136599911

According to the article:

“The surface of the Paris Masters 1000 will be slightly slowed down in order to get closer to the playing conditions of the ATP Finals in Turin, played a week later.”

Over the last 4 years, only in 2024 did Paris record faster playing conditions than Turin (45.5 vs 39.4 CPI, via courtspeed.com).

In fact, the 2024 Paris Masters reached 45.5 CPI, making it the fastest conditions on tour in more than 4 years.

Based on this article (interview with tournament director), I assume that this year’s court speed in Paris should be around 40+ CPI — still on the faster side, just not as lightning quick as last year.”


I guess Zverev will have something to say….

that court is nowhere 40 cpi its more like 35/36 for what i see and what players have said. The court is really slooowwww, perfect for Alcaraz athleticism

 

[Rattie]

Bublik and Popyrin didn't shake hands, is there beef between them?

Apparently Popyrin didn’t apologise for a lucky net cord so Bublik didn’t see why he should follow etiquette either.

 

[am1899]

What it tells us?

 

[Jav]

What it doesn't tell us?

 

[marc45]

why are green courts making a comeback?...I forget if this has been here in Paris (think it has) but I'm starting to see them on both tours a little more...thought we had agreed blue was better for viewing, but maybe now HD means we can see fine with green?...I guess indoors is better than outside in the sun at least

 

[am1899]

why are green courts making a comeback?...I forget if this has been here in Paris (think it has) but I'm starting to see them on both tours a little more...thought we had agreed blue was better for viewing, but maybe now HD means we can see fine with green?...I guess indoors is better than outside in the sun at least

Yeah Bercy was green, too.

 

[Rattie]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1983163703324487774

 

[messiahrobins]

Especially if @messiahrobins enters the field and exposes his forehand.

Wild Card was denied due to late application

 

[ChrisJR3264]

“Disgrace to the sport man”

 

[neunelf]

why are green courts making a comeback?...I forget if this has been here in Paris (think it has) but I'm starting to see them on both tours a little more...thought we had agreed blue was better for viewing, but maybe now HD means we can see fine with green?...I guess indoors is better than outside in the sun at least

Rolex brand color is dark green.

 

[DSH]

Who do you think would have benefited more if they hadn't ?

You're talking about something that's been debated a lot of times.
Believe what you want, there are still differences between surfaces even if they are more homogeneous than in the past.