How do you know when a tennis ball is bad?
William Rodriguez
Published Jan 22, 2026
Hall of Fame. A new ball dropped from head or shoulder height (regardless of size) will bounce a little more than 1/2 way back up. If the ball bounces less than 1/2 way back up it is dead, or at least going dead.
Do tennis balls go bad?
Tennis balls will go bad after about 2 weeks or 3-4 playing sessions. Unopened tennis balls are kept in a pressurized tube to help them retain bounciness and firmness, but even those will expire after two years (due to very tiny leaks).
Are my tennis balls still good?
There are generally 3 easy ways to tell if a ball is dead and needs replacing: Bounce: generally, one of the first signs a tennis ball has reached the end of its lifespan is an abnormally low bounce. To find out if a tennis ball has lost its bounce, simply compare it to another one.
How long do tennis balls stay good?
If you enjoy playing tennis for fun without any significant competition, your tennis balls will have a longer life span. A pressurized tennis ball can last anywhere between 1-4 weeks of moderate play. A pressureless tennis ball can last 1-3 years of moderate play.
Should tennis balls bounce?
The ITF requirements are for a bounce between 53 and 58 inches at 69 degrees. Surprisingly, most balls bounced higher after the durability test than before — some more than 1.5% higher.
30 related questions foundWhy does a tennis ball not bounce?
When the can is opened and the balls are put into play more air starts to push on the inside of the balls. As the balls get older small amounts of air start to seep out which minimises inside pressure. This reduces the amount of air that pushes on the inside of the ball when it hits the ground, thus reducing bounce.
How do you make tennis balls last longer?
sensible answers only please. Place three balls in a microwave on high and Nuke them. The balls will bounce higher. That bounce may last 30 minutes or more.
How often do tennis balls get changed?
The tennis balls must be approved by the International Tennis Federation (ITF). The tennis balls in Grand Slams, ATP and WTA tournaments are changed after seven games and after every nine games thereafter. There are six balls in play in these events.
Do tennis balls lose their bounce?
And remember, much a like an opened soda can that goes flat, an opened tennis can will lose their bounce as well, even if they are unused. Once they lose their bounce, which will be considerably noticeable, they are dead. Make sure to leave those ones behind or gift them to your dog!
How long do tennis balls last ball machine?
Good quality balls last 1-2 weeks, with almost daily usage. They age by losing their felt, but not their bounce.
How quickly does a tennis ball lose its bounce?
Although our hypothesis was proven wrong, our experiment supports this rule in professional tennis. We measured the bounce of a new tennis ball at intervals during 50 games and discovered that it becomes dead after about 10 games.
Why are tennis balls kept in the fridge?
As seen above, tennis balls got their bounce from the pressurized air inside the rubber core. It's a well-known fact that temperature has a huge impact on pressure and this, in turn, will affect the amount of bounce. Most times, the tennis balls are kept in the refrigerator to ensure consistency of bounce in the ball.
Do tennis balls break?
You'll be surprised how many tennis balls actually break during fast serve contests and warmups in higher level tournies. I've seen 3 out of 21 break within 10 minutes in hot weather A/Open practices.
Which tennis balls last longest?
Pressureless balls are the best tennis balls for a ball machine since they last longer. Most high level or professional players do not use pressureless balls. They are mostly for amateur play. You can usually buy pressureless tennis balls in high quantities for practicing.
Why do tennis players reject balls?
It all comes down to hair. The hair on a new tennis ball tends to be smoothed flat, while a ball that's been knocked around a bit will be more fluffy. Tennis players may check three balls or more before serving so that they can select one smooth ball and one fluffy ball. The smooth ball is used for the first serve.
Can you reuse tennis balls?
If you put a couple of tennis balls in the pool it will absorb all the oils from swimmers. Have to replace them every couple of weeks and then you can reuse them again! Kids bikes making divots in your yard?- Consider putting a tennis ball on the end of a kickstand.
How long will tennis balls last unopened?
They dont last indefinitely. 2 year shelf life for tennis balls. Cans have micro leaks.
What is the fuzz on a tennis ball called?
The fuzzy covering on a tennis ball is known as the nap. It not only changes the speed of the ball, but also imparts spin to it as the ball travels through the air.
Why does a tennis ball have fuzz?
The felt nylon, or fuzz, is a drag force on the ball. As air goes through the fuzz, the ball slows down, keeping it from going crazy fast! Additionally, when the tennis ball makes contact with a racket, it lightly grips the racket. All of these factors allow for more-controlled serves and returns from players.
Why do tennis balls pop?
Balls might tend to pop more easily at higher elevations where the external air pressure is low. If the barometric pressure is low, the internal pressure of the ball might be more than double the external pressure. Warm weather will also increase the internal pressure of a tennis ball.
What is the pressure inside a tennis ball?
The air pressure inside the ball is 12 psi (pounds per square inch) greater than ambient air pressure at sea level (the 'normal' air pressure all around you). The ambient air pressure is 14.7 psi, so all together, the pressure inside the ball is 26.7 psi.
How long does it take to Repressurise tennis balls?
Repressurization can be done at pressures from 24 psi to 50 psi depending on the time balls remain under pressure and the amount of bounce you desire. This process takes between three days and three weeks.
What is it called when you hit the ball before it bounces in tennis?
A volley is made in the air before the ball bounces, generally near the net or inside of the service line. Volleys consist of the forehand volley and backhand volley and are usually made with a stiff-wristed "punching" motion to hit the ball into an open area of the opponent's court.