Evolution Of The Tennis Balls

The first tennis ball was made in 15th century from stuffed leather and wool.

But as time changes, the manufacturing process and materials get replaced by air filled rubber balls.

There are several developments happened in the process of finalizing the right ball for tennis.

But after the establishment of ITF (International Tennis

Federation), rules are standardized to select the standard size, composition and color for official tennis balls.

Current Tennis Ball Composition :-

The current tennis balls are made from rubber shell filed with pressurized gas.

The rubber shell is covered with felt that is made of from nylon or wool.

The standard tennis ball must have a diameter between 65.41

mm and 68.58 mm.

The standard tennis ball must weight between 56.7 g to 58.5 g

The standard tennis ball must have rebound height of 135 to 147 cm (53-58 inches).

The standard tennis ball must be tensed with environment having temperature of 20°C / 68°F, humidity 60% and

atmospheric pressure of 102 kPA.

ITF approved white and yellow as the official ball color for tournaments, but afterwards the selection of color

changed to fluorescent yellow or optic yellow as they are more visible.

Tennis ball Bounce :-

The standard tennis ball must bounce between 53 and 58 inches high after being dropped onto a concrete floor from an elevation of 100 inches.

To achieve the stated bounce height as per ITF, tennis ball manufacturers add a very specific amount of air in the core

of the ball.

Fact :- Tennis balls are pressurized to 12 pounds per square inch.

Types of Tennis Balls :-

There are different types of tennis balls used for different game types.

These ball types have solid cores and last longer than other ball types.

Pressureless Tennis Balls :-

They don't lose their bounce but the felt of the ball wears off faster than other ball types.

These ball types don't need to be pressure-sealed, so they come in nets or bags.

Pressurized Tennis Balls :-

These ball types have a hollow core filled with air or nitrogen.

They come in sealed cans or tubes and as soon you open the can, they start to loose their bounce.

They bounce higher than pressureless balls.

Regular duty Balls :- Best option for indoor and clay court use.

Extra duty balls :- Best used in concrete and grass courts. if used in any other court types, they become too fuzzy.

High Altitude Tennis Balls – These types used in high altitude regions, where regular balls would have a greater

bounce.

Some interesting facts about tennis courts :-

:- Around 300 million tennis balls are manufactured each year

:- There are more than 200 tennis ball brands have been approved by the ITF for

tournament use.

:- The most expensive material when manufacturing a tennis ball is the felt that is covering the ball.

:- Tennis balls become heavier when there is more humidity in air, as a result they travel slower.

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