No matter your level of play, having access to high-quality tennis balls is vital in developing proper technique and honing your skills. A proper tennis ball can help develop proper form, improve technique, and advance skills development.
The LABS team set out to create the first high-performance ball that would retain its lively bounce and consistency outside a pressurized can. And they succeeded!
Felt
Material choices play a significant role in how well tennis balls perform on the court. Felt is used as an excellent blend of natural and synthetic fibers that offers benefits across different courts and playing durations, providing greater product life while providing high-quality bounce. It comes in different thicknesses for maximum convenience on different courts – typically this material will offer longer product lifespan with better bounce.
Tennis ball production begins with raw Malaysian natural rubber pellets being formed into half-spheres through an intricate curing process, then pressurised during an intricate curing cycle to give each tennis ball its signature bounce and consistent bounce.
After covering these cores with felt, which consists of natural and synthetic wool fibers blended together, a special formula designed to optimize performance is used during this step to produce bright-yellow fuzzy felt covers that stand out for their brightness and yellow hue. After they adhere to their cores with adhesive glue, however, balls undergo another heating process called vulcanization that strengthens and hardens their bond between cover and core.
As a final touch, balls are steamed to roughen and fluff the felt surface, increasing playability. Once completed, balls are loaded onto rollers to squeegee air bubbles before going through another vulcanization process which seals their felt covering to help prevent deflation during gameplay. Following quality-control testing and receiving an inked number identifier allowing manufacturers to differentiate various brands of tennis balls and slot them into pricing tiers accordingly.
Numbering systems for tennis balls vary among manufacturers to help simplify purchasing processes and reduce confusion, yet may lead to buyers misinterpreting what type of ball they’re getting – for instance, “Championship” balls may feature thicker felt than standard versions and therefore be marked with an “X”.
Core
A tennis ball’s core contains air or gas that gives it its bounce, typically made of natural and synthetic rubbers kneaded together and then vulcanized for durability and repeated impact resistance. Unfortunately, however, this material required more chemicals during manufacturing process, puncture issues were commonplace over time as was its less than eco-friendly properties compared with pressurized tennis balls.
Wilson’s new plastomer core keeps balls feeling fresh for up to four times longer than traditional balls, by reducing its weight and enabling designers to thicken its walls for improved durability and energy return. Furthermore, this technology increases stability by keeping shape after multiple hits without deflating or losing its form – keeping players playing without getting frustrated over deflated or lost balls!
Over time, pressurized tennis balls gradually lose pressure due to permeation of inflation gas through its wall core, leading to gradual deflation and eventually becoming unusable for play. Preventing this from happening would require placing them in an airtight container – something which is expensive and inconvenient.
To produce a non-pressurized tennis-ball that meets International Tennis Federation specifications for rebound, compression and weight, rubber core compositions that meet these criteria must have very low forward compression rates; otherwise they produce pressureless balls which may not meet player standards.
Wilson’s new tennis ball utilizes an innovative lightweight plastomer core designed to keep it feeling fresh up to four times longer. Furthermore, this material also enhances sustainability by decreasing chemical use during production; furthermore recycled packaging is utilized and FSC certification assures it comes from forests harvested sustainably – an extraordinary step forward for sustainability within the tennis industry.
Durability
Durability is of critical importance to professional players, event organisers and media to maintain consistent quality in tennis play. Therefore, the International Tennis Federation’s (ITF) ball approval process includes an ITF ball degradation test.
However, results of this degradation test often do not correspond with in-play conditions and could potentially lead to unfavorable design and material decisions. A more suitable degradation test must therefore be implemented that accurately gauges ball longevity and rate of wear related to professional play.
Wilson LABS conducted research to understand what was driving this discrepancy in performance between tennis balls. They tracked every impact a tennis ball had over its entire lifetime and examined its frequency, surface type and impact velocity to gain insights.
As part of their study, the team determined that the current ITF durability test does not accurately reflect ball duress experienced during modern tennis due to differences between pre-surface impact conditions in professional matches and those seen during an ITF durability test. Pre-surface impact conditions include ball speed and trajectory against court surfaces versus those experienced by ITF durability tests.
Fuzz on tennis balls is more than aesthetic; it plays a vital role in the game itself. Fuzziness results from an intricate manufacturing process that involves heating rubber sheets into half spheres that are then glued together, giving tennis balls their characteristic bright-yellow color and fuzzy texture.
After being produced, tennis balls are coated in various textiles and yarns to add their final characteristics, such as plush fabric, fleece or synthetic faux fur for their unique soft touch feel. This unique surface also plays an essential part in gameplay by increasing grip with rackets at higher altitudes while decreasing air friction when moving through airflow at greater speed.
Wilson LABS also took steps to reduce the environmental impact of ball packaging. They collaborated with BillerudKorsnas, one of the world’s premier suppliers of sustainable packaging materials, to design a fully recyclable package for this high-performance tennis ball – an innovation unheard of before in this sector.
Weight
Weight has an effect on how a tennis ball moves on court. A lighter ball tends to move more quickly, forcing players to react swiftly in their shot selection and technique choices; conversely, heavier balls have the opposite effect, slowing the game down so players have more time to consider their options before striking a shot.
The International Tennis Federation (ITF) regulates the weight and dimensions of tennis balls to ensure consistency across different surfaces and play levels. Most commercially available balls are designed as standard weight balls to provide recreational and practice play; their formulation offers balance in terms of bounce, durability and playability for all genders at various skill levels.
Most modern tennis balls are manufactured through compression molding of rubber compounds into two half-shells, then filling each half-shell with air or nitrogen for injection to produce their desired bounce. Once formed, these balls are coated with felt before being sealed inside a plastic tube for transport and storage.
Pressurized tennis balls tend to cost more than non-pressurized versions, yet offer higher bounce and longer durability. They also help prevent deflating as players use them; after inspection for quality control and packaging for distribution.
While many players opt for pressurized balls during match play, a pressureless version may be better suited for practice or indoor courts due to its thinner outer felt which is better suited for soft surface materials like carpet. High altitude balls may also provide greater resilience over extended playback time and are perfect for use at higher elevations with their thicker outer felt and thicker inner layer that provides increased resilience over time.
Selecting the proper tennis ball can be an arduous ritual that involves both superstition and science. Players often carefully examine all three or four balls offered to them by ball boys before selecting two to serve with. Their decision usually relies on how fluffed up each of these balls is; you can gauge this through feel and observation; typically softer balls will feel slightly larger in diameter when touched, making top spin players favor fluffier options which allow more top spin movement in their game.