With star athletes like Ashleigh Barty and Nick Kyrgios, it’s no surprise that tennis is one of the most popular sports in Australia. If you’re an amateur, a hobbyist, or part of a circuit, you’ll know that the essentials consist of a ball, a racquet, and a net. Selecting racquets is simpler because big names in the ATP and WTA circuits endorse brands, but you barely see anyone endorsing balls. In this article, you’ll learn how to appraise the humble yet indispensable item, which is a tennis ball.
Physical Characteristics
Size and Weight
The International Tennis Federation regulates the dimensions of balls. A tennis ball’s ideal weight and diameter are 57.5 g and 6.7 cm, respectively. The size and weight of the ball influence its bounce level and velocity. A ball with standard dimensions is suitable for players of all ages and levels.
Fuzz
Felt nylon gives the ball its characteristic feel. Except for an oblong seam, fuzz covers the entire ball. When you examine the ball, ensure the fuzz is uniform and close-cropped. Just like a swimmer in the water, fraying fuzz affects the ball’s spin.
Colour
In 1972, the ball got a wardrobe upgrade. It swapped its white skin for a neon yellow one. Practicality informed this decision rather than whims or colour-of-the-year fads. As neon colours are the chromatic equivalent of light, they have high visibility. Players and spectators — at home and in the gallery — can follow an unnaturally bright ball better than a white ball. It perfectly contrasts brick-red clay courts, blue hard courts, and orange-green carpet courts and stands out even in grass courts. You can get balls in other neon colours (like orange, pink, and blue) or dual colours, but nothing screams tennis like neon yellow.
Packaging
Sports goods stores usually sell tennis balls as individual units, packs of three, or in bulk. Balls in sealed plastic cans are preferable to those lying in hoppers and trolleys because airtight containers allow the balls to retain their internal pressure. Once ejected into the cruel world, the tennis ball’s pressure takes a good hit. Bulk packs are a sound option if you use a launcher, coach athletes at an academy, or play in the great outdoors, where balls frequently disappear into the unknown.
Buying Options
Online or Offline
As tangibility matters in tennis, you can effectively assess samples of tennis equipment at offline stores. However, not everyone’s house or workplace is a stone’s throw away from acclaimed sporting goods stores. Finding dependable stores on the internet is tricky. Choose sellers with functional websites that feature contact buttons and secure payment options. Buy from a sporting goods website rather than a massive online retailer because the former specialises in sports offerings. Compare prices and study product specifications. If their product photography is original and their descriptions are intelligible and thorough, they are worth your while.
Offers
Watch out for seasonal offers and momentous events in the tennis year because certain stores might offer exciting combos like a tennis ball with a racquet, ball packs, or limited-edition collectables.
Game, Set, Match
The quality of your tennis equipment affects the quality of your game. Whether you’re a klutz who hurls your racquet when trying to whack the ball or an aspiring GOAT of the tennis court, you deserve a suitable ball. Get one today.