Tennis Ball
Ball (noun) [bawl]
In this article, we dive deep into the topic of tennis balls, providing a definition, and answering the most common questions on the subject.
Ball (noun) [bawl]
In this article, we dive deep into the topic of tennis balls, providing a definition, and answering the most common questions on the subject.
Definition
Examples
Context
Questions & Answers
Wrapping Up
A small hollow object made of rubber, covered in fluorescent yellow felt and pressurized so that it bounces.
Ok, it’s time to pick up the tennis balls.
The tennis ball just barely caught the line.
Tennis balls are a unique piece of equipment developed exclusively for the sport and are necessary to play tennis.
Most cans come with three tennis balls. This number permits the server to carry at least two for their first and second serve. A total of three allows players to rotate them throughout the match.
Having extra balls during a match also helps keep play moving because you don’t have to chase them down as much, but the more balls you use, the more expensive it gets.
Unfortunately, once opened, tennis balls begin to lose their pressure. As a result, unless you play multiple times per week, where you’d get good use out of more than three tennis balls, you may want to consider only opening one can at a time to save yourself money.
Tennis balls come in a variety of colors. However, the most common type of tennis ball is yellow or, more specifically, optic yellow.
Originally, tennis balls were typically white or black, depending on the color of the court to help increase visibility. However, in 1972 the ITF introduced yellow tennis balls because they were significantly more easy to see on TV. Wimbledon didn’t adopt yellow balls up until 1986.
The most common types of tennis balls used in recreational and professional play will have a diameter that ranges from 6.54-6.86 cm (2.57-2.70 in).
At the tour level, there are four types of balls permitted for play which include:
Type 3 and type 4 tennis balls are only allowed for use on tennis courts 1,219 m (4,000 feet) above sea level.
For 10 and Under Tennis, there is a range of tennis balls suited for different levels of play. They include:
The standard weight of all professional and recreational tennis balls is 56.0-59.4 grams (0.123-0.131 lbs) or 1.975-2.095 ounces.
For 10 and Under Yennis, the weight requirements for each type of ball varies as follows:
Tennis balls consist of a two-piece rubber shell that manufacturers mold together to form a hollow core, injected with pressurized gas to give the ball its bounce, and wrapped with a synthetic felt that glues to the surface for durability.
Tennis balls are made through a 10 step production process that includes:
The fuzz on a tennis ball exists for a few different reasons, including:
Underneath the outer layer of felt, the inside of a tennis ball contains a hollow rubber core. The core is pressurized with air or nitrogen, which helps gives the ball its bounce.
The smell of a freshly opened can of tennis balls is the result of a mixture of the materials used to create a tennis ball, which primarily consists of a rubber core, glue, and felt outer covering.
A tennis ball bounces due to its spherical shape, hollow rubber inner core, and, most importantly, the fact that they are pressurized.
The most common type of tennis ball is pressurized to help give the ball its bounce. As such, cans are pressurized during the packaging of tennis balls to ensure the balls maintain their pressure up until the point a consumer receives and plays with them.
However, not all tennis balls come in cans. Pressureless tennis balls often come in buckets or bags, especially when sold in bulk.
The numbers on tennis balls help players keep track of their tennis balls while playing next to other courts. Tennis balls typically come in cans of three balls, all with the same number for this purpose.
A tennis ball will float because buoyant rubber material forms the core of the ball. Additionally, tennis balls are hollow and filled with air.
A tennis ball will not explode in a fire. Nitrogen, which is often used to pressurize some tennis balls, is not flammable.
Absolutely. If hit hard and directly at a car, a tennis ball can easily dent a vehicle. However, any ball hit out of a court that strikes a car in a parking lot is very unlikely to make a dent.
Pressurized air or a mixture of air and nitrogen is the gas used to pressurize a tennis ball.
The five most popular tennis ball manufacturers include:
Have questions about tennis balls? Let us know in the comments below – we’re here to help.
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are the green dot tennis balls pressurized?
Hi Jaimie,
Thanks for the question. Unfortunately, this isn’t made super clear in a lot of product descriptions.
You can purchase green dot tennis balls as pressurized or pressureless. If they come in a bag or bucket, they are pressureless. However, if they come in a can, they are pressurized, and the balls will behave differently – expect more bounce out of the balls in a can.
Unfortunately, many retailers say ‘pressurized’ in the title or description even when they come in a bag, which is misleading.
I hope that helps.
All the best,
Jon
Why are there lines on a tennis ball?
Hi Elizabeth,
Thanks for stopping by – great question!
There are lines on tennis balls because two pieces of felt are glued together with a rubberized mixture to form the outer layer, so it’s a byproduct of the production process.
All the best,
Jon