Players will be able to receive verbal and non-verbal coaching from the stands during the tournament, provided it does not interrupt play or hinder an opponent. Her parting words were prescient as this has become one of the dominant subjects in the build up to this year’s US Open, underlining a perceived double standard between men’s and women’s tennis. The adhesive is then cured, and the two half-shells are bonded together to form the pressurized core.

As a young American kid with a strong passion for tennis, playing at the US Open was my first real dream. It’s quick without being too hard for beginners, and the bounce is close to matching that of a pressurised ball, making it a great option for coaches and players alike. Meanwhile, American number one Jessica Pegula , who is part of the Women's Tennis Association's player council, said she was "personally not a huge fan" of the balls.Complaints about the balls were also made by Ash Barty’s former coach, Craig Tyzzer, who claimed the Australian would never win in New York. One complaint many players have with pressureless balls is that their bounce can feel different from regular balls and they can often appear slow, meaning training doesn’t always translate very well to match play. It’s little surprise that the ball designed for Wimbledon performs well on both real and artificial grass courts. Whenever I open a new can of the Wilson US Open ball, it gives me a great feeling of certainty and joy. Petra Kvitova, who reached the final in Cincinnati, which also uses the balls, struck a similar note.

That statement came at the end of one of her press conferences in Cincinnati, in which the women’s world No 1 was asked about the tennis balls used by female players at the US Open. A question had struck a nerve and for a split second she deliberated between whether to speak or hold her tongue.

When he was younger, Fritz played mixed doubles in New York, another problematic aspect of the contrasting balls. Selecting a ball with less pressure will ensure it’s slower and easier to control, and will help the player feel the contact with the racket more.