The modern game of tennis, more properly called lawn tennis, evolved from real tennis, a game that originated in 12th century France. Tradition credits Englishman Major Walter Wingfield with having invented lawn tennis in 1874, although other people most likely influenced his idea. Throughout the centuries the tennis ball has changed significantly, and today's fuzzy, yellow tennis ball is a relatively recent innovation.
Manufacturing
A standard tennis ball begins as two half-shells of rubber which the manufacture joins while simultaneously inflating them to form a ball with a hollow, pressurized core. The manufacturer then applies adhesive to the rubber ball and covers the ball with two pieces of felt cloth. The edges of these cloths are treated with a rubber vulcanizing, or curing, solution that forms the ball's seams.
Specifications
Although specs may vary among lower-quality tennis balls, championship-quality tennis balls must weigh between 56.0 and 59.4 g and, depending on the type of ball, must measure between 6.541 and 7.303 cm in diameter, according to International Tennis Federation (ITF) regulations. Additionally, most ball types must bounce between 135 and 147 cm high.
Types
Tennis balls may be pressurized or non-pressurized. Pressurized tennis balls are hollow and filled with air or nitrogen. As soon as you remove these balls from the can, they will begin losing pressure, and with it, their ability to bounce. Non-pressurized balls have a solid core, so they retain their ability to bounce longer, but aren't as responsive in play. Regular-duty tennis ball are appropriate for indoor and clay courts, whereas extra-duty tennis balls are better for grass, concrete and asphalt tennis courts. Special tennis balls are available for high-altitude play as well.
History
Tennis balls began as leather balls filled with wool, rags, horsehair, sawdust or sand, while rubber tennis balls came into being in 1870s. Traditionally, tennis balls were either black or white depending on the court color, but players in non-championship matches sometimes used colored and two-toned balls as recently as the early 1900s. The ITF accepted the use of yellow tennis balls 1972 because these balls were more visible on television.
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