| Tennis balls are inflated, felt-covered rubber balls of | | | | can be adjusted in different ways to alter of the ball's |
| approximately 2.7 inches diameter. The usual color of | | | | properties. Steaming the felt heightens the nap and |
| a tennis ball is yellow, although it may give the | | | | makes the substance fluffier. This increases the ball's |
| impression of being green due to its fluorescent nature. | | | | wind resistance and control, while reducing the bounce |
| History of Evolution of Tennis Balls | | | | and speed. A compact nap causes a tennis ball to skip |
| Earlier,tennis balls were made of a variety of material, | | | | on striking the racket or hitting the ground. |
| such as: | | | | Types of Tennis Balls |
| - Leather and stuffed with hair or wool | | | | The two main type of tennis balls are: |
| - Stomach of a sheep or goat, wrapped with wool | | | | - Pressurized - Such balls have a hollow core, filled |
| and tied with a rope | | | | with nitrogen. The pressure lasts for approximately a |
| - Animal fur | | | | month, after which the ball becomes 'dead'. |
| - Pine wood | | | | - Pressureless - This type of tennis ball has a solid |
| - Rope made from the intestines and muscles of | | | | core and is suitable for those training themselves in the |
| animals | | | | game. The ball does not lose its bounce easily. |
| However, the modern tennis ball seems to have | | | | However, there are chances of the felt wearing off |
| directly stemmed from those made in the 18th century. | | | | soon. |
| Strips of wool (3/4 inches in length) were tightly wound | | | | Some other kinds of tennis balls are: |
| around a nucleus made of cork. Then a string was tied | | | | - Regular duty tennis balls - These are meant for use |
| around that ball, after which the entire thing was | | | | in indoor and clay courts. |
| covered and sewn with a white cloth. Tennis balls with | | | | - Extra duty tennis balls - These must be used on |
| a cork core and a cloth covering is still used in the | | | | grass and concrete tennis courts. If used on clay, the |
| original game of tennis, now known as, Real Tennis. | | | | ball might get too fuzzy. |
| Modern tennis balls are made from vulcanized rubber | | | | - High altitude tennis balls - These are used in high |
| (rubber cured with sulfur), a compound that is highly | | | | altitude regions, such as Denver, where the land is |
| durable and strong, with the right consistency. The | | | | 4000 feet or more above the sea level. Regular balls |
| most expensive ingredient in a tennis ball is felt, which | | | | have greater bounce at elevated levels. |