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NEW YORK — Men and women will use the same tennis ball this year at the U.S. Open, satisfying some women who complained last year they were hitting an inferior product. Top-ranked Iga Swiatek — who eventually won the tournament — was among the women who felt their lighter ball didn't hold its strength as long as the one that was used by men. The U.S. Open had been the only one of the four Grand Slam tournaments that used a different ball for men and women. Stacey Allaster, the U.S. Open's tournament director, says the type of ball being used was entirely up to the players and their tour, and they requested a change.
