Who knew there were so many decisions involved in picking a tennis ball?
Aren’t they all just yellow and fuzzy? The answer is no, there are not only different balls for different surfaces but there are also pressurised and non-pressurised balls.
Pressurized balls are filled with air or nitrogen inside while non-pressurized have no air or gas. Pressurized balls are generally cheaper than non-pressurized balls but they do start to lose their bounce as the air escapes slowly.
Non-pressurized balls won’t lose their bounce, although eventually the fuzzy covering that provides some friction when playing will wear off but they will last much longer than pressurised balls before they need to be replaced.
It’s not simply a case of pressurized or non-pressurized though. Tennis balls also come as Regular Duty, Extra Duty, or High Altitude. It’s important to make the right choice here for your purposes.
High Altitude balls are designed to be used in places that are high above sea level. The pressure inside the ball is aimed at offering the best bounce at a level of around 4,000ft or higher above sea level. It wouldn’t be good to use a High Altitude ball on a tennis court in a valley or anywhere else that is not well above sea level.
Extra Duty balls are designed to be more durable than Regular Duty and are generally used on grass courts or asphalt courts. They hold their shape and bounce on tough surfaces and you should be able to get a consistent bounce even on grass courts.
Regular Duty balls are intended for indoor tennis courts and surfaces like clay and they won’t be much good on hard surfaces or grass courts.
18-pack of Pressureless Tennis Balls | 12 cans, 36 balls Regular Duty Felt Pressurized Tennis Balls |
2 cans, 6 balls, Extra Duty Felt Pressurized Tennis Balls | Pressureless Tennis Ball Bucket Case with 48 practice balls ideal for all court types |
High Altitude Tennis Balls, Extra Duty Felt Pressurized, 1 can, 3 balls L | Tennis Ball Saver: Pressurized Tennis Ball Storage that keeps balls bouncing like new |