Balls specific to tennis come in four categories and are approximately 2 inches in diameter, according to the rules of the International Tennis Federation, the governing body of the sport. The inside is rubber and the covering is felt. The most popular balls come in yellow or white, 3 to a can, and each set of 3 has the same single-digit number on it to differentiate it from other sets. The most commonly used balls are packed in a pressurized can to remain bouncy after they are manufactured, but before they are used for play. You hear the "whoosh" of pressure being released when you pull the metal top off of the can. The ITF has a website--www.itftennis.com/technical--where balls approved for tournament play are listed.
What to Look for
Cans of the most easily available name-brand balls, such as Penn, Wilson, Dunlop, Prince, Slazenger and Gamma, are usually made for specific surfaces. Some balls are made for play at higher altitude. The most popular balls, used for hard courts (asphalt, cement or composite-material "all-weather" surfaces), are marked "extra-duty" because they last longer before becoming too fuzzy or too bald. For softer courts--Har-Tru (sometimes called "green clay"), red clay or grass--standard or slightly faster clay-court balls are often available. Cheaper balls typically are sold as "pressureless" or "practice." There are special balls designed for play at altitudes of 4,000 feet above sea level and higher, and they are marked as such.
Common Pitfalls
After a can is opened and/or after a certain amount of play, balls begin to lose their bounce. If you are about to play with balls that were removed from a pressurized can more than three or four weeks earlier, experts suggest you test the bounce by dropping the balls from a height of 100 inches (more than 8 feet). The ball should bounce 53 to 58 inches to still be considered playable. When balls are first used for play, they actually tend to bounce a bit higher than when they are fresh from the can. Balls that don't bounce close to the height suggested are dead and should be discarded.
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