Looking for a quick shortcut to the best tennis ball to get? I recommend Slazenger The Wimbledon Ball as the best one.
Tennis is one of the most enjoyable games in the world with millions of people enjoying the game all over the globe.
Besides tennis racquets, the balls you’re using can make it or break it. A good ball can help you rise head and shoulders above the competition.
If you’re looking for the ultimate guide for the best tennis balls out there, you’re in the right place! Read on, so you can find your ideal fit!
Top 6 Tennis Balls That You Can Find in the Market
Tennis balls come in different types and styles. Additionally, there’s a tennis ball for every level of proficiency.
To ward off the confusion, I’ve compiled a list with some of the best tennis balls that you can find in the market. This can help you make your decision easier. Let’s have a brief look at each one of them.
Starting our list with one of the simplest forms of tennis balls. You can find these bags in 12 and 18-ball bags. Gamma tennis balls are made of high-quality materials to give you maximum performance.
These tennis balls are pressureless, which means that their core is solid. This allows them to maintain their durability and consistency with time. You can use these balls for a long time without worrying about them losing their internal pressure or bounce on the court.
Since they’re highly affordable, you can use them to play catch with your friends, family, and pets. Gamma tennis balls also come in a wide variety of colors. This adds to the fun factor and enables you to play multiple non-tennis games with them.
They come in a handy and durable mesh bag to keep them in one place. In addition to keeping them safe, it also allows you to take them anywhere in large quantities. This makes them ideal for tennis machine practice too.
Such qualities make them ideal for tennis practice and casual play. If you’re looking for an affordable bag of tennis balls for fun times, Gamma tennis balls are your way to go!
PROS
- Highly affordable for casual use
- Excellent for practice with tennis ball machines
- Available in different counts and colors
- Comes with a durable mesh bag
CONS
- They’re heavier than regular tennis balls
Penn is one of the oldest tennis ball makers in the market with over 100 years of experience. This gives you an insight into the quality of the following ball. Penn Championship tennis balls are also one of the top-selling tennis balls in the United States for all the good reasons.
The Championship extra duty balls made according to the highest standards of tennis balls. That’s why they’re the Official ball of USTA League Tennis and other major leagues.
The balls are made of natural rubber. Not only does this give them the look and feel of a professional tennis ball, but it also provides them with high consistency while playing. This makes them excellent for competitive play.
The natural rubber also gives it a great resistance against shocks. Moreover, it measures high on the durability scale. Penn achieved this thanks to the interlocked wool fiber that’s in the felt. This allows you to use them for a long time without wearing them out.
The balls also have deeper elastic seams. These seams reduce the cracking of the ball and add to its bounciness. The high level of durability and sturdiness makes them survive even dog bites for a long time!
PROS
- Extremely durable balls
- The official ball for major tennis leagues
- Consistent feel and bounce
- Approved by the ITF
CONS
- Has lower bounce than regular tennis balls
Wilson is one of the biggest names in the sports goods industry, so it’s no surprise that their tennis balls would reach the top list. The Wilson US Open tennis ball is named so because it’s the official ball of that major tournament.
These tennis balls are one of the best regular-duty tennis balls in the market. Surprisingly, they come at an excellent price for their quality.
They’re made of Wilson’s premium felt with the Tex Tech technology. This one gives them a decent level of durability for the smooth tennis courts. Indoor and clay courts are among the most forgiving surfaces in tennis, so these balls are ideal for them.
These balls might not be suitable for the most seasoned and experienced players. However, they get the job done for the majority of the above-average players. If you think you’re ready to take off the tennis training wheels, these tennis balls are your best bet.
Also, they endure dog chewing better than lesser balls, so they don’t get destroyed more often. If you don’t like replacing your dogs’ balls often, you can settle for a can of these balls. The can comes with 3 balls, so you should expect them to last for a long time.
PROS
- Ideal for clay and indoor courts
- Made of premium quality felt
- Great value for money
- The official ball of the US open
CONS
- Not ideal for the advanced players
If you want your kids to start training tennis, regular and heavy-duty balls might be a bit tough for them. They’ve high compression, so they bounce at high altitude. Instead, you should opt for beginner tennis balls.
Introducing, the Wilson US open starter balls. These balls are a bit larger in size, making them much easier to hit by a kid or a beginner. These tennis balls are designed to be much slower than the regular tennis game. They help the beginners to build confidence and focus on hitting techniques.
The starter balls are made of a newly-developed felt that’s designed specifically for kids. It has a thickness of about 75 millimeters. This surface changes the aerodynamics and the performance of the tennis ball to make it easier to play with.
First, this gives them a much smaller compression. As a result, they don’t bounce as high as regular balls. This makes them much easier to reach by kids aged 10 and under.
Additionally, the ball is significantly slower than regular pressurized tennis balls. This adds to the simplicity of the balls. Moreover, the balls have bright colors, which makes them fun to play with and easier to see.
PROS
- Ideal for tuning shooting techniques and angles
- Slower and less compressed for tennis practice
- Bright colors make it easier to see while flying
CONS
- Not ideal for competitive tennis play
Slazenger ball is among the most popular tennis balls in the world. The reason behind that is that they’re the official ball of Wimbledon. This competition is the oldest tennis championship in history.
They’re a bit pricey when you compare them to other tennis balls. However, they give you unrivaled performance on almost all kinds of courts. This feature is possible due to their patented Tour Core construction.
The engineering behind this technology gives it an unwavering performance. Additionally, it helps the ball to meet the requirements of the major tournament.
It also comes with patented HydroGuard technology. It gives the fabric the ability to repel up to 70% more water than the average tennis ball. This helps the ball to maintain its durability and longevity for a longer time.
The tennis ball is also dyed with the exclusive Ultra Vis dye. This dye enhances the level of visibility of the ball even when it’s flying at maximum speed.
Besides being highly durable and easy to see, the ball is woven with a top-notch cloth. This boosts it with a superb level of responsiveness while playing.
PROS
- Unmatched performance and responsiveness with Core Tour engineering
- HydroGuard technology to repel more water
- Covered with Ultra Vis dye for maximum visibility
CONS
- A bit pricey compared to other balls
With the rise of global environmental problems, a lot of people are trying to lead a more responsible decision when it comes to their purchases. This is known as the zero-waste movement.
Being one of the biggest brands in the sports industry, Wilson was among the first to produce a “greener” set of balls. Wilson also pledges to give 5% of their profits on these balls to support the worldwide efforts to increase sustainability.
The tennis balls come in unique packaging. Instead of packing the balls in regular plastic or aluminum cans, they come in a 100% recyclable octagonal paper container.
Besides being eco-friendly on the outside, the Triniti tennis balls are also special on the inside. They count as a great option for those who are looking for a tennis ball that offers an all-round amazing performance.
The tennis is covered with a special felt that’s 50% more flexible than regular felt. This translates into more compression and stronger bounciness while playing.
Unlike standard cores, this one comes with an extraordinary plastomer material. Wilson claims that this material lasts 4 times longer than the standard tennis core. The slightly pricey package offers 3 balls. However, the extra money is going for a good cause.
PROS
- Zero-waste packaging
- Highly durable elastomer core
- Flexible felt for enhanced performance and compression
CONS
- Not an alternative for pressurized tennis balls
How to Choose the Best Tennis Ball for You?
There are many ways to categorize tennis balls into different types. However, the most common way is to compare them according to their level of proficiency.
Here’s a quick summary of each type of tennis ball.
Beginner-Level Balls
They’re also known as “third tier balls”. They usually come at a much lower price than other types. However, they don’t provide consistency or long-term durability.
Third tiers are specially designed to provide a lower speed than the regular tennis balls. This way, They help the beginners to build confidence and focus on hitting techniques, such as angles and hitting power.
In fact, experienced players can even use them to tune their shooting techniques and angles. Wilson Starter is one of the best tennis balls for kids and beginners.
Intermediate-Level Balls
They serve as a middle ground between beginner and professional balls. The vast majority of amateur tennis players rely on these tennis balls to give them the highest value for money.
They’re smaller and more durable than beginner balls. Most tennis balls in the market are within this tier, including Penn Championship Tennis Ball.
Professional-Level Balls
These balls are designed with the optimum level of attention to the tiniest details. They’re made for experienced and elite players.
They provide extreme durability and an unmatched level of consistency. However, they’re one the far end of the price scale. Slazenger The Wimbledon Ball and Wilson Extra-Duty are among the best in this category
What’s the Best Tennis Ball for Each Type of Court?
You can play tennis on different courts. Each one of them has its own characteristics. Therefore, various balls perform differently on each one.
Let’s have a quick look at the types of courts and the best tennis ball for each one of them.
Hard Courts
The hard courts are the actual hardest surface to play tennis. However, it gets the name from being the hardest on the tennis ball.
The density of the court makes the balls bounce the highest on these surfaces. As a result, the best type of balls for these courts is the extra heavy-duty ones like Penn Championship.
They have a thicker layer of felt, so they endure the dense nature of the hard courts better than any other type.
Clay Courts
Despite being the hardest surface, clay surfaces aren’t the hardest on the ball. That’s why you can ditch the extra felt in exchange for more speed and consistency. The regular-duty model of the Wilson US is great for the court.
Grass Courts
The most famous grass courts are found in the Wimbledon championship. However, it’s rare to find grass courts outside the most prestigious tournament. Grass courts have the lowest bounce between all courts due to its soft surface.
Slazenger’s tennis ball is currently the official ball for the championship. However, the excellent ball is ideal for all the previous courts as well.
Things to Look for While Shopping for a Tennis Ball
Here’s a complete guide with everything you need to know before picking your ideal tennis ball.
Durability
The level of durability is determined by the construction of the ball. For example, you can use a heavy-duty ball in a clay court. But remember, more felt means more dirt. This can weigh down your ball and make it slower.
A durable ball might be more expensive, but it’ll save you the cost of early replacement.
Decide the Purpose
As you can see, different types of tennis balls are useful in different scenarios. For example, beginner balls aren’t only for beginners. Professionals also use them for practice.
Also, if you’re more about getting tennis balls for your dogs. You’re better off going for a bag of pressureless tennis balls like Gamma Bag.
Pressurized or Pressureless Tennis Balls
The vast majority of the tennis balls are pressurized tennis balls. These ones have a hollow core filled with compressed air. This makes this much lighter, so they provide a better bounce, faster speed.
The only downside to them is that they lose their pressure with time, so you need to replace them with new ones more often.
On the other hand, pressureless tennis balls are significantly heavier in weight. The reason behind that is the solid core they have.
They aren’t used competitively. Instead, they’re good for practicing with machines, recreational games with friends, and playing with your pets. Since they’re heavier, you shouldn’t use them if you’re suffering from tennis elbow.
Read our pressurized vs pressureless tennis ball article to learn more about these types of balls to understand which one is good for your scenario.
Does the Number on a Tennis Ball Make a Difference?
While a lot of people link the numbers on the tennis balls to the level of quality or durability. This isn’t the case.
In fact, these numbers are there to prevent confusion while playing with the ball in multi-court fields. This way, your ball doesn’t end up being used by other tennis players, ensuring a fair game.
Wrap Up
Choosing the best tennis ball depends heavily on your proficiency level and where you’re going to use it.
Whether you’re looking for a beginner ball like Wilson Starter, or an eco-friendly option like Triniti, you can find the answer in this article.
There are a lot of factors that make a tennis ball great. Features like durability, purpose, and others are crucial while picking a tennis ball.
For these reasons, I pick Slazenger The Wimbledon Ball as the winner for the ultimate tennis ball around.
For a slightly higher than average price, you’ll land an all-round perfect tennis ball for all courts. It also comes with multiple technologies that give it an unrivaled performance and durability.
However, if you’re looking for a casual ball for practice or playing with your dog. Gamma Bag will do the trick without costing you an arm and a leg.