What balls are you guys using?

Chotobaka

Hall of Fame
I am on my last case and a half of USA-made Pro Penn's. I doubt I will be paying a premium for Chinese-made Pro Penn going forward.
 

texacali

Rookie
The green, round, fuzzy kind. Kidding. Like Dunlop most but also use whatever is on sale.

Anyone remember the 1970's WCT gold tennis ball? Not even sure who made them. I used to love those b/c there is no way you could get them mixed up with all the green ones on the other courts.
 
Last edited:

mikeler

Moderator
US Open regular duty are pretty nice on clay. I'm not as big a fan of their extra duty balls but they are OK too.
 

Larrysümmers

Hall of Fame
Penn coach. 1.75 a tube. and lasts just as long as. hardly any fuzz to them so they fly through the air. play on a fast surface and they just skid lol
 

LeeD

Bionic Poster
Everyone around here chooses DunlopHDHardCourtXFelts if they have a choice.
Lasts 4 sets. The heaviest, knappiest, slowest moving, ball around, but you can hit full out and actually maintain a rally.
Wilsons are good for one hit rallys, and last 7 games.
Penns last double that, and you can hit two shots per rally.
Dunlops, most rallys can last 5 shots, everyone going for winners (and playing well).
 

Vlad_C

Semi-Pro
Wilson US Open.
Because these are used at all the local tournaments here where I live, so it makes sense to practice with the same.
 

supersimonlu

New User
What's the difference between HEAD ATP & Wilson US OPEN? I think HEAD ATP bounces higher, and sounds better. Or, it's just my feeling?
 

Overheadsmash

Professional
Penn ATP Regular on Har tru, and the Heavy Duty when I play on the duracourt 2. They don't get real fuzzy or fluffed up, and they are not as hard as the Wilson US open balls.
 
Wilson US Open. Only thing available locally at a reasonable price. Babolat Gold can be bought off an outlet store about 50 miles away for the same price..
 

tennis_balla

Hall of Fame
I buy balls by the case for my basket cause I coach for a living. Babolat Gold balls didn't last for crap, the Babolat Team balls were very good however. Yonex Tour balls lasted a fair bit as well.
The best playability so far has been the HEAD ATP balls, but will see how long they last me as I've only had them a short while so I'd have to report back at a later date.
 

Surecatch

Semi-Pro
My own.

;)

Dunlop or Wilson, if I have a choice. It doesn't matter much to me though. The best real answer I have is...fresh ones.
 

Netspirit

Hall of Fame
Wilson US Open for playing.

Tretorn Micro X (yellow/white so people do not steal them) for drilling or getting drilled - they are pressureless and last forever.
 

finalfantasy7

Semi-Pro
ive used head radical - very durable, good for flat hitting, not much spin.

wilson US open - very nice carnt comment on durability used it 1 really liked them, Heavy balls

slazenger hi vis - very nice, alot of spin, power but durability not good especially outside fluffs up very quick, but keeps it bounce but not spin when used. very light ball

Slazenger hydroguard - good, average nothing bad/worth talking.

slazenger extra life - really liked this kept its fluff outside for a bit, kept its bounce, really liked this

slazenger open ball - couldnt tell the difference between this and hydrguard

slazenger tournemant ball - so far best ball ive used, only bought 1 can should have go more, very fast ball with, lots of spin, light ball, not as light as hi vis

going to try some PENN championship balls next
 

slowfox

Professional
I really like the Gamma Pro Tour balls lately. Seemed a bit odd and heavy when I first opened up a tube, but after rallying a bit I started to enjoy them. Usually play with Penn. And Wilson US Open are really good.
 

GoSurfBoy

Semi-Pro
Dunlop Fort Clay Court. On hardcourt.

Nothing better. 5 sets at Open level, still in fantastic hitting condition, all still bounce even.....and 4 in-a-can.
 

Raul_SJ

G.O.A.T.
I am on my last case and a half of USA-made Pro Penn's. I doubt I will be paying a premium for Chinese-made Pro Penn going forward.


Do you find the U.S. made Penns are much better quality than the Chinese-made Penn?

I guess Penn has stopped manufacturing in the U.S. since I couldn't find it on Google.
 

supersimonlu

New User
Uhhhh,seems so many guys are using Wilson US Open, i will try. Can anyone tell me the difference between WIlson US Open and HEAD ATP?
 

ewberner

Rookie
Tecnifibre......brought back 4 cases last month - I have crazy customers here paying upto $15 a can!!!! There excellent balls (maybe the best I've ever used) but I wouldn't pay $15........

Where did you get them from? Europe?
 

paul_tennis

Rookie
Uhhhh,seems so many guys are using Wilson US Open, i will try. Can anyone tell me the difference between Wilson US Open and HEAD ATP?

I've played with both and IMO they are the one of the best tennis ball I've used. Pretty close in durability, perhaps the US Open is a little better in that area.

Slazenger Wimbledon balls, Penn ATP

I've found that the Slazenger Wimbledon Balls are the hardest feeling and higher bouncing ball I've ever played with. Monstrous bounce on clay and hard court, didn't like them. Never tried them on grass.
 
Last edited:

Roger Wawrinka

Professional
Wilson US Open Extra Duty are just a bit to heavy for me. I've been using Penn ATP Extra Duty which play very well, but I love Babolat Roland Garros and Tecnifibre X-one. The only trouble with these are Tecnifibre is hard to find and the Roland Garros balls do not last very long.
 
Uhhhh,seems so many guys are using Wilson US Open, i will try. Can anyone tell me the difference between WIlson US Open and HEAD ATP?

wilson is slightly better durability, wilson has more felt(more spin and slower through the air and off the court than the head atp. I use to use the head but switched to the wilson for the extra durability. I actually like the babolat balls the best, but there expensive and more of a pain for me to get.
 

Chotobaka

Hall of Fame
Do you find the U.S. made Penns are much better quality than the Chinese-made Penn?

I guess Penn has stopped manufacturing in the U.S. since I couldn't find it on Google.

I am still running through my back stock of USA Penn Pro. I got a great cash deal on several cases. Teaching pro friends (who used to use USA Pro Penn) have told me the new Marathons are not as good, but I have not had to use them yet. I have been rationing my stash for matches. As a matter of principle, I refuse to pay the same money for balls made at a fraction of the cost to pad Head/Penn's profits. Plus, it has gone to being a mass market ball. Not insignificantly, their closing of the Phoenix factory to make products at near-slave labor wages left a very bad taste in my mouth.
 
Last edited:

Chotobaka

Hall of Fame
Tecnifibre......brought back 4 cases last month - I have crazy customers here paying upto $15 a can!!!! There excellent balls (maybe the best I've ever used) but I wouldn't pay $15........

These are made in a joint venture factory between TF and Bridgestone and are reportedly very good balls.
 

finalfantasy7

Semi-Pro
just got some penn 2day, dont know when i be playing next? as its been raining everyday in UK, carnt play indoor cuz only get 1hr to play, never get 2hrs+, so aint worth it.

see whats the weather like on weekend
 

LeeD

Bionic Poster
Bought some WilsonHDHardcourts the other day. First stray from Dunlop or Penns in over 10 years. I wanted to see how fast my serves would go, and how high they'd bounce.
Well, 2 of the 3 were very Penn like. Not bad. ONE of the 3 is pure Wilson, the knapp compressed flat, the ball getting light and hard, and used by almost everyone for first serves...everyone who noticed.
I'd say the ONE bounced at least a foot higher than the other 2, on both first and second serves.
Great quality control.
 

Rozroz

G.O.A.T.
just got some penn 2day, dont know when i be playing next? as its been raining everyday in UK, carnt play indoor cuz only get 1hr to play, never get 2hrs+, so aint worth it.

see whats the weather like on weekend

at least you HAVE indoor courts. lucky Brit ;)
in the meantime, can you just post a link to which exact Penn balls you bought?
 

finalfantasy7

Semi-Pro
Rozroz which country you live in?.... here indoor courts are expensive for me £15 a hour.
I hope thr not fake - bought them of ?bay, when i opened them the wrapper on all 3 came off. Ive got a question why on all 3 tubes the number written on the balls are all different?:

IMAG0047.jpg
 
Last edited:

Rozroz

G.O.A.T.
they way i understand:
mostly 2 types of balls.
the punchy, hard crisp type
or the soft 'easy on the arm' ones.
the softer Penns are too soft for my taste.
best for me is find a good mix.

i think those Penn of yours bounce really low.
 
Last edited:

Fuji

Legend
I am sticking with Penn Pro Marathon balls. They are crisp feeling and last more than a set of hitting which is more then 99% of the other balls I've used so I definitely cannot complain!

-Fuji
 

finalfantasy7

Semi-Pro
Just used the penns (above pic) indoors and i really liked them, thr heavy (compared to slazengers) and have very good penetration. They bounce good. how on earth are you lot saying these dont bounce??

I was also using new slazenger tournemants and comparing them, the slazengers for some reason felt dead (brand new balls), even my partner was saying the exact same -he enjoyed the penns.
We were playing in a Dome which leaked water in and some of the penns got soaked but didnt lose thr bounce,fluff.

Anyone used head atp/tretorn micro x's??
 
Top