When it comes to the gear of any game every component of the equipments that are required in playing the game is of equal importance. Something that might look like a very trivial piece of sporting equipment might be the sole reason behind making or breaking the fate of your game. Even in tennis, knowing which equipments are the best suited for your specific needs matters a lot in deciding the outcome of your game. A tennis ball is an equally important item for a tennis enthusiast. If you are willing to carry a trophy at the end of day, the first thing that you must remember is that nothing should be taken for granted.
This article has been written to give you some information regarding the different types of tennis balls and also tries to provide you with the information regarding the 5 best tennis balls that are available in the market for professional players. This article does not try to support any brand or increase their popularity, but rather tries to provide you with a comprehensive knowledge regarding what are the best tennis balls in the industry. Most of the brands that are going to be mentioned over here have their unique features and strong points, while also having some limitations that are confined to their brands.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF TENNIS BALLS
When one talks about tennis balls there are a large variety of different types of tennis balls that are available in the market. A typical tennis ball is created with a rubber ball that is enclosed within the confinement of a fuzzy outer material. This core of rubber can either be hollow or solid depending upon the ball that you have bought. Tennis balls are also created for specific playing grounds and depending upon the court which you might have chosen to play in, the ideal tennis ball would vary.
PRESSURIZED TENNIS BALLS
Pressurized tennis balls, are balls which have a hollow rubber casing enclosed within a fuzzy outer material. This kind of balls is the most common types of tennis balls. They come in packs of 3 packed inside a vacuum sealed can. Pressurized balls are created with compressed nitrogen or pressurized air being filled inside the hollow cavity of the rubber ball. These walls have a much livelier feel to them and are capable of bouncing higher than the other alternatives. Being filled with pressurized air makes these balls very light and they are capable of reaching higher speeds. Owing to them being light, these balls are also capable of being maneuvered to spin. Because of these balls being filled inside a vacuumed can, their integrity is maintained as long as they remain inside the can. After being taken out however, because of atmospheric pressure, pressurized balls start losing their own pressure within just a couple of weeks. Once the air pressure inside the balls is considerably depleted they become practically unplayable. People who are looking for a ball with a better performance and have enough money to spend on new ball can choose this particular type as it is ideal for them. Most professional tennis matches are played with a pressurized ball.
PRESSURELESS TENNIS BALLS
Unlike their pressurized counterparts, pressureless tennis ball have a rubber core which is completely solid. This solid rubber core renders a much heavier feeling to these balls and is also more durable than pressurized tennis balls. The best pressureless tennis balls might have less amount of bounce at the initial stages, but with the progress of time this bounce starts to increase as the outer covering of the fuzzy fabric starts to wear out. Intermediate and beginner players who play the game of tennis simply for recreation or practice would find this type of tennis balls the best for their use.
HIGH ALTITUDE TENNIS BALLS
High altitude tennis balls are specially made to be played on a ground which is at a higher altitude than normal ground level. Since pressure at a higher altitude tends to decrease special balls are needed to be made in order to allow the game of tennis to be played even at a higher altitude.
REGULAR TENNIS BALLS
Regular tennis balls simply refer to the balls that are created for playing tennis in an indoor setting or on a clay court.
EXTRA DUTY TENNIS BALLS
Extra duty tennis balls referred to the balls that are specifically designed to endure a lot of wear and tear and can withstand a hard surface. They are balls that are perfect for playing tennis on a hard court.
AN OVERALL LIST OF THE BEST PROFESSIONAL TENNIS BALLS IN THE MARKET
Most professional players are highly competitive and are capable of going to extreme lengths in order to get a competitive edge over the players they are playing against. When playing a professional match it singles or doubles, the slightest of factors can create the most dramatic differences and decide the outcome of the game. It has been a long standing tradition in the game of tennis whereby the server gets to choose from three balls that has been given to him by the ball boy. This tradition has been maintained through all these years in order to let the server have a fair chance of choosing the perfect ball before completing his/her serve. When a player is using a tennis ball of low quality there are chances of it getting frayed or dragging in the air making the task of delivering a service that is capable of surprising the opponent very hard to achieve. In a match who is as high as that of professional standards, having such a drawback is highly unacceptable. The following segment of this article intends to bring to you the top five choices when it comes to choosing the best tennis balls in the industry.
Penn is the largest tennis ball manufacturing company in the world. It is a company that is owned by the pioneers in the industry, Head. Penn is a company that has been the most reliable in the business for producing the best tennis balls of extraordinary quality. They are highly versatile balls that also long lasting, while being perfectly suited for playing the game of tennis on a hard/soft court or on a high altitude. The tennis balls that is available as part of the top tier segment of the company is Pro Penn Marathon Regular Duty tennis ball. It is one of the best tennis balls if longevity is the one thing that you have in mind. This ball has the innovative Encore technology from Penn along with the Optik felt which provides great durability and visibility to the ball. They are simply perfect to be played on soft courts.
PRO
- They are one of the most durable balls in the market.
- They have a regular duty felt but are also capable of incredible performance.
- They are highly visible because of the presence of the Optik felt. Every case has 24 cans in it. Each can has 3 balls inside.
CON
- he fall has a tendency to feel flat due to use after a while.
Slazenger is a company that is also owned by the eminent company of Dunlop. When it comes to quality and being playable, Slazenger is very close to the high levels that are offered by Dunlop balls. Slazenger balls are perfectly suited for a clay court or a grass court. However, this very feature makes them ill-suited for the taraflex courts that are most popular in the US. Salenzer Wimbledon Tennis Balls are one of the best professional level balls. They also have great bounce along with the hydro guard technology which has been used to make its fuzzy covering. It repels almost 70% of water when compared to other balls. It also bounces brilliantly and is pretty visible despite an average felt.
PRO
- Each case contains six tubes which have a total of 24 balls in them, with each tube containing 4 balls.
- Hydro Guard Technology helps in repelling 70% of the water.
- The Salenzer logo is beautifully crafted on top of each of the balls.
- It has great visibility both while playing and watching a game.
CON
- There are hardly any drawbacks to this ball apart from the average quality of felt.
Wilson tennis balls are as good as the Penn balls when it comes to quality and versatility. Some people are also of the opinion that Wilson balls are much more durable as compared to their Penn counterparts. Wilson is a company brand which is used extensively in the Australian and US Opens and they are available in both Extra Duty and Regular Duty versions for hard courts and indoor/clay courts respectively. Wilson Championship Extra Duty is one of the finest professional level balls that is available in the market and used in the Australian Open Grand Slam, US Open and the NCAA Tennis. They have the Dura Weave technology implanted in them which makes them highly durable and capable of great performance. They are perfect for hard courts and have a great felt which is capable of repelling water and providing a great playing experience.
PRO
- They are ITF and USTF approved.
- They can be used in tournaments and also be played for recreational performances.
- Dura Weave technology provides improved performance and durability to these balls.
- They are perfect for hard courts.
CON
- These balls are highly expensive and cannot be bought by everybody.
The Wilson US Open Extra Duty tennis balls are one of the best professional level tennis balls out there in the market. These tennis balls have great longevity owing to the high quality of wool which has been woven in an intricate and robust manner with a great felt that provides great durability to this ball. Wilson is the only company to provide the official balls for the US Open since the year 1979 and is the only company to hold that title. These balls offer a great playtime and also provide a feeling of Tex/Tech that allows them to have great accuracy and swing while playing on the court. They are perfect for hard courts and a total of 72 balls put inside 24 cans are available with every case.
PRO
- They are tennis balls which are heavy duty and perfect for playing on hard courts.
- Tech felt has been utilized to create premium quality balls.
- They are used in the US Open.
CON
- Soft courts might find them to be less bouncy.
Dunlop tennis balls are one of the perfect tennis balls that are available in the market popular for their durability and bounce. They are popular in the tournaments in US as well as all over the world. The Dunlop 602157USCS Grand Prix Hard Court Ball is a terrific professional level ball that has been created to perfection with the help of more than 14 different ingredients that has given the ball its ultimate value. The ball has a rubber core that has top quality felt woven into it along with the use of the MaxGlo technology that gives it 14% more brightness than normal felts. It is a ball that has been approved by the ITF and the UTSA and comes in a package of 72 balls that are packed inside 24 cans per case.
PRO
- One of the best durability and performance that any pro level ball has.
- The rubber core is a patented technology that uses 14 different ingredients to be made.
- Perfect for hard courts. 14% more brightness and visibility owing to the MaxGlo technology.
- Very affordable to buy.
CON
- There are no drawbacks to this tennis ball.
Conclusion
Starting from beginners, intermediate to the professional players, having a good tennis ball and knowing about the nuances of a tennis ball can be the most important reason behind shifting your game for the better. However, there are a huge number of brands and companies that produce a large variety of tennis balls. These tennis balls are available in a lot of different types and even a seasoned player might get confused amidst the huge number of choices. Therefore it is very essential to have a clear knowledge about the different tennis balls that are available in the market. Especially in a level as high as that of professional tennis, knowing these nuances become even more important. Choose the perfect tennis ball in order to best suit your specific needs on a professional level.
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