Right before the serve, the tennis player leans down dramatically and religiously, and bounces the furry little ball on the ground several times moments before sending it sailing at interstate speeds hopefully over a 3 ½ foot net. This ritual may stem from the desire to know whether the ball will serve its function.

This is a good habit – if rooted in the unconscious – for players of tennis in Ocala and everywhere in the tennis-loving world. But it begs the question: What are the best tennis balls?

The best type of tennis balls depends on the court, according to the LiveStrong Foundation, a health education organization. Professional players often use different types of tennis balls and different balls to suit the type of court surfaces.

Tennis Balls Choice Depends on Court Surface

Hard court surfaces require a more resilient and tougher tennis ball to take the beating from a hard surface yet maintain a particular recoil to avoid playing too fast or bouncing too much. Extra-duty balls are typically the best choices for hard surfaces.

Most professional and amateur games are played on hard courts, but “hard courts” do not have the hardest surfaces. Clay courts have the hardest surfaces. Grass courts have the softest surfaces.

Top manufacturers put tennis balls into three classes: professional, championship and recreational. Professional tennis balls are the best. Wilson’s professional ball is the best choice for hard-court playing, according to the LiveStrong Foundation. It is the ball type used at the U.S. Open and the Australian Open.

Balls come in extra-duty and regular-duty. Used on hard courts, extra-duty tennis balls are built extra durable with thicker felts, which on clay courts tend to pick up dirt, making the balls heavier. So regular-duty balls are better on clay and grass courts.

Despite their added durability, extra-duty balls are not heavier or heavy-duty. The thicker felt only gives the appearance that extra-duty balls are heavier, experts say. The thicker felt tends to hold onto racket strings longer giving players the sensation the extra-duty balls are heavier. Both types of balls weigh the same.

Contact one of Golden Ocala Golf & Equestrian Club’s tennis professionals to learn how they can help you improve your game at 352-402-4351.

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