If you are joining tournaments, it is always a good idea to check the dress code before arrive at the event.
If you are beginners, you could be forgiven to think that all tennis balls are the same. But in fact, that is far from the truth. Similar to select the right racquet or shoes can affect your game performance, choosing a tennis ball that suits your game is also critical if you want to get the best performance out of your practice sessions.
There are plenty different types of tennis balls and over 100 brands competing in the marketplace, so selecting a ball is not always easy. Some balls are slower than others, some spin better and some are created especially for players with issues on elbows. There are practice tennis balls, balls suitable for kids and balls made for elite tournaments. Then of course, there are different coloured tennis balls made by different manufacturers.
To make things easier to choose, tennis balls are usually divided in three basic categories: standard (or so-called recreational), championship and professional. When you practice, a good quality recreational tennis ball can be used, especially if the beginners need a large number of balls when using a tennis machine.
If you are playing with an opponent or tennis coach and are preparing for a match or tournament, you might want to change to a championship ball, as these is generally suitable for non-professional competition level.
Professional balls are the most expensive type and, as the name suggests, are suitable for players who compete at the professional tennis level.
Tennis balls may be categorized as pressurized or non-pressurized. Pressurized balls are the most common and are used at almost all competition levels as they are designed with full of air for more speed, bounce and spin. However, their performance fades rather quickly, with the most last less than a week or two when being used on a daily basis.
Non-pressurized ball have no air inside and depends on their rubber construction to produce bounce. Therefore, it lasts much longer and are more suitable for practice or recreational purposes.