Ball
Tennis balls come in 4 speeds, 3 felt types and 2 bounce types, but not all combinations of the balls are made don’t worry. Things to consider for tennis balls are:
• Speed - the International Tennis Federation allows 3 different standard-altitude balls to be used in tournament play, there are fast balls for clay courts and slow balls for grass courts:
- Slow: large diameter, same weight good for players who need time before hitting the ball
- Medium: most common, good for all players on all courts
- Fast: rarely used, good for players who like clay and want a fast game
- High altitude: controlled easily in thinner air (above 4000 feet)
• Felt - covers the ball and is designed for the different surfaces
- Regular: for clay and outdoor courts, finer felt and does not fluff up a lot, it will wear away quickly on hard courts
- Extra: for hard courts, denser felt that can take rough surfaces, it will collect bits of clay courts, slow on clay and indoor courts and becomes fluffy
- Grass: regular felt but it’s treated to resist staining
• Bounce - all balls are made from a rubber shell with a felt covering but the type of shell depends on whether the ball is pressurised or not, pressurised balls loose bounce over time (like a basketball) where as un-pressurised retain their bounce:
- Pressurised: the most common and perform better than un-pressurised when brand new, but they do loose their bounce quickly, typically becoming un-playable within 2 weeks. Players often use them for one match then throw them away.
- Un-pressurised: the bounce comes from the structure of the shell and keeps elasticity without air. Stiffer when new and less bouncy than a pressurised ball, they become bouncer with age, as the felt wears down and they become lighter. When they become bald they are too bouncy so are thrown away.