Are there really any differences between tennis balls?
The answer is yes.
It's not "possible", but 100%. The difference exists objectively.
Moreover, leaving aside the subtle differences caused by different batch production times, different brands of tennis balls are different in themselves, because different venues require the use of different types of balls. Like all professional competitive sports, the higher the level, the more professional it is.
, and extends to equipment.
Currently, there are many brands of professional tennis balls on the market, including Slazenger, Wilson, Dunlop, Babolat, Head, Penn, and Techniflex.
(Techifibre) blah blah blah.
Among them, Wilson and Hyde are also the two top suppliers of rackets.
Generally speaking, Wimbledon has always used Schlesinger, the US Open and Australian Open have used Wilson, and the French Open used to use Dunlop, but now it has evolved into Babolat.
In the ATP Tour, Indian Wells, Miami, Canada and Cincinnati are all Payne, and in the mid-year finals, Paris and Magic are Hyde.
In grass-court events, the Schlesinger family is basically the dominant player; in clay-court events, Dunlop and Babolat are the main players.
It can be seen from here that different types of venues have different requirements for tennis. Naturally, there are also subtle differences in the balls used for competitions.
Moreover, the same brand often produces different tennis balls according to different venues, but the gap in technical craftsmanship and product quality also exists objectively.
Currently, each of the tennis brands on the market has different series, ranging from three to five to as many as ten or twenty. Different series have different hitting sensations.
However, all professional tennis events are commercial activities, and "sponsorship" is the core keyword. This also means that every tennis supplier is doing its best to expand its territory, so the replacement of game balls in events often happens, and
The accompanying chain reactions always exist objectively.
Just like every time during the World Cup, everyone will discuss that this year's ball is "lighter", "heavier", "more floaty", "more slippery" and "difficult to control", the same is true for tennis.
Schlesinger, known as the "noble".
This is the most suitable ball for grass courts and has always been the official ball of Wimbledon. At the same time, it is also the best to play and the most expensive ball.
Many people generally agree that Slesinger is the best tennis ball to play. It has good feel, good elasticity, appropriate air pressure, good wool content, good elasticity and rotation speed; but the disadvantage is that it is not durable and consumes a lot of balls, even if it is
In amateur competitions, after a game, you can basically no longer use it——
Not to mention professional competitions.
"Expensive" is just one word.
Dunlop, in fact, is the same manufacturer as Schlesinger and has a background in making tires, so the production technology of tennis inner bladders is very good.
Compared with Slesinger, durability is a signature feature, but the quality of the ball felt is average, and it basically becomes bald after playing, looking like an abandoned pig urine bubble.
Although its features are not obvious, it is very popular on clay courts.
Hyde and Penn were also the same manufacturer - Penn was later acquired by Hyde.
Overall, the two types of balls are just like "blue-collar workers". The all-round characteristics are very average, with no special points or shortcomings. They are also high-quality and low-priced. They are very suitable for ordinary tennis enthusiasts and are definitely the first choice.
But for slightly more advanced players, they lose their charm. Because they have no characteristics, there are naturally no highlights, and they can even be said to be "mediocre."
It is worth mentioning that Payne is basically used in North American competitions and also in NCAA competitions. This is also the game ball that Gao Wen is most familiar with.
Babolat, the official ball of the French Open.
This is also a brand that started out as a racket maker. The biggest feature of their tennis balls is that they are durable.
Very, very durable.
Therefore, Babolat's tennis balls are very hard when they are new, basically equivalent to table tennis balls, and the felt is also very compliant and tight. Naturally, the ball flies up quickly, making it more difficult for players to control it.
For novices, Babolat's tennis is very unfriendly and basically uncontrollable, and then the shots are completely random; but for professional players, it is another matter, because on clay courts, multi-shot rounds are particularly special.
There is a lot of ground friction, and the friction on the ground is also very large. This kind of patience with the ball can be carried forward.
Finally, Wilson.
The world's largest racket supplier, it is also the most commonly used ball in hard court events around the world, and is a joint supplier of the Australian Open and the US Open.
Although both Grand Slam tournaments use the same brand, as Gao Wen just said, there are objective differences between the two types of tennis.
Generally speaking, the balls used in the US Open are softer and looser, and less durable. Once a long round of multi-shot duels begin, the tennis ball will tend to drift; therefore, for players who rely on strength to play, they often
It's more disadvantageous, but relatively speaking, power players who take the initiative can take some advantages.
The ball used in the Australian Open is harder and tighter, and its durability has been improved to a higher level. In long-round duels in hard court events, it is basically equivalent to the level of Babolat. The more you play, the tougher it becomes, and the inner bladder always maintains
The elasticity and multi-beat tug-of-war can also ensure the power transmission during the force-strengthening process.
Of course, these differences are very subtle and not absolute.
Then, some people will definitely say that as long as you are strong enough and absolutely crushed, you can win no matter what ball you use. This is the real way.
But this is the case in competitive sports. The more top-notch the match is, the more important the details are.
For a simple example, Djokovic is known as the "King of Melbourne Park". As of 2022, he has won the Australian Open nine times, but in the US Open, which is also a hard court, his number of championships has remained at
Three times, there was no further progress, just one more than the French Open.
In addition, Del Potro's best performance in his career is on hard courts. His violent forehand is known as the best forehand in history. At the US Open, he won the championship once, the runner-up once, the semi-finals once, and the quarter-finals three times; but in the Australian Open
, there were only two quarter-finals, and even the performance in the fourth round was only one more time.
Djokovic and Del Potro, the direct comparison between these two players is very obvious.
From this, it can be seen that although the Australian Open and the US Open are both hard courts, there are still some differences in the types and styles of players suitable for them.
Coming to Melbourne from New York, you need to adapt not only to the climate and environment, but also to subtle changes in every aspect of the entire event.
A slight difference can make a huge difference. This is true in scientific research, and it is also true in competitive sports.
Just now, Gao Wen noticed Zhang Shuai's hitting, and he used his strength blindly, trying to form confrontation and suppression, but he lacked control, and the overall feel and feel of the ball were still lacking, so the hitting frequently went out of bounds——
Instead of going off the net, everything goes out of bounds.
This also means that the ball feel is not right, the arc control is fine, but the power and spin control are not right.
Therefore, Gawain stopped practicing and pointed out this matter.
But think about it seriously, Zhang Shuai has been on the tour for so long, and this is not her first time participating in the Australian Open. Doesn’t she understand it better than Gao Wen?