Dead Balls Just Kill Me

[Djoker91]

Originally Posted by slowfox

One of my regular partners likes using dead balls when we play. He usually says they're "still pretty good". Even if I offer to open a new can, we still end up using the dead ones (he doesn't like the brand I prefer). And every time this happens I end up playing like crap. Yes, it's mainly because I normally play like crap but the dead balls make me crappier. I just can't get any rhythm going. After we play I feel like giving up tennis forever.

Dead balls suck..!!

I hate new balls. I prefer deader ones. Not completely dead. New ones are way to poppy sometimes. Have to really pull back on my game.

[Frank Silbermann]

I prefer tennis balls that are well-used but still lively. E.g., recently opened, but already used for a couple of sets. They're easier on the arm and actually faster.

[EDK]

Same thing happened to me in a ladder match. Guy wanted to warm up with old balls, then start the match with new ones. Not sure if he wanted to preserve the life of the balls just for match play. I wonder what the pros do for their warm up...use new balls? Then proceed with those into the first set?

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

Even if you're nice enough to overlook all of your hitting partner's reasons for using dead balls, you can't overlook the following reason:

Dead balls are health hazards on the court.

[mikeler]

Originally Posted by EDK

Same thing happened to me in a ladder match. Guy wanted to warm up with old balls, then start the match with new ones. Not sure if he wanted to preserve the life of the balls just for match play. I wonder what the pros do for their warm up...use new balls? Then proceed with those into the first set?

Pros warm up with the same balls they play with. After the first 7 games, they change balls and after that they change balls every 9 games.

[corbind]

Originally Posted by Say Chi Sin Lo

... you can't overlook the following reason:

Dead balls are health hazards on the court.

+1

Originally Posted by Frank Silbermann

I prefer tennis balls that are well-used but still lively. E.g., recently opened, but already used for a couple of sets. They're easier on the arm and actually faster.

How are balls used a few sets easier on the arm? Balls lose bounce/rebound during use. You have to swing harder to get the ball to he same location each successive set.

Further, how are used balls faster? You could argue hairless balls fly faster (plausible as far as aerodynamics) but they don't bounce as well (return energy) so are slower.

Dead balls are not reliable. There will ba a greater variance in play between a handfull of balls that have been pounded for days compared to a new can.

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

Originally Posted by Frank Silbermann

I prefer tennis balls that are well-used but still lively. E.g., recently opened, but already used for a couple of sets. They're easier on the arm and actually faster.

There's a lot of fails there.

1) If it's well-used then it ain't lively anymore.
2) They're not "recently opened" after a couple of sets.
3) They're not easier on the arm because of the false sense of "I can hit as hard as I want and it won't fly out".

But they may be faster due to the fact that they don't bounce. If I know I'm playing with dead balls, I'll run around all of my forehands and use my backhand slice instead.

[Coach Chad]

Dead balls are rough. I play a guy who is just too cheap to stop using them...after warm ups I pop a can, and he is cool with that...he doesn't have to pay for them!

[LeeD]

Set play, you should warmup and hit half your rallies with old balls, switching to new ones 3 minutes before the first scored point begins.
OR, you can just start with new balls, but be aware by the end of a long second set, the balls are crap.
Just rallying, makes less difference, but if you're about even with your partner/opponent, it's worth opening new balls for the whole hit.

[5263]

In Europe they tend to really wear them out before going to new balls.

[Fuji]

Our indoor courts eat Balls alive. Penn Marathon Extra Duty, (my favorite ball) are the only ones actually usable for more then 2 sets. Any non extra duty balls are dead by the end of the first set it seems.

-Fuji

[NTRPolice]

I hate old balls. I've never played 4.0 or 4.5 league, but I can only wonder how terrible the balls are by the time you reach halfway into the second set. I definitely notice a lack of action on my serves and my forehands look a lot less lively even after one set of play.

I'm also not opening 5 cans of balls per week so I dont complain about it.

If I had my way, id use a new can off balls for every set lol.

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

Yep, old balls don't work well.

[Rozroz]

Originally Posted by NTRPolice

I hate old balls. I've never played 4.0 or 4.5 league, but I can only wonder how terrible the balls are by the time you reach halfway into the second set. I definitely notice a lack of action on my serves and my forehands look a lot less lively even after one set of play.

I'm also not opening 5 cans of balls per week so I dont complain about it.

If I had my way, id use a new can off balls for every set lol.

new can every set??? boy you guys are spoiled!
i can usually feel the balls getting out of touch only after 5-6 hours.

[NTRPolice]

Originally Posted by Rozroz

new can every set??? boy you guys are spoiled!
i can usually feel the balls getting out of touch only after 5-6 hours.

If I had my way and, it wasnt me opening a new can every single time, I would use new balls every set.

After 5 sets (5-6 "hours" of competitive play) you really start to notice the ball not being nearly as "lively" and it starts feeling a little more "squishy". I suppose on clay the ball lasts a lot longer, but on hard court, one set really is enough.

I can play with totally flat balls just like you can drive with totally flat tires. Your car just wont handle the same.

[r2473]

Target sells balls for $2.09 a can, so for me its worth opening a new can whenever I feel the balls are getting too old.

I used to play with some older guys in the park on Sunday afternoons. They loved to bring out some of the oldest balls they had in their bag. Harder for me to use my power advantage and old balls are easier to control for a pusher. Drop shots are very effective. I never let on that I knew they were using dead balls and they always had fun.

[Hi I'm Ray]

^^The old guy at the local courts who is actually a pretty decent player, is very picky about using new balls because with his limited mobility, he'd never get to drop shots with dead balls. Sadly, ppl there know he has very limited forwards/backwards movement and have no shame attempting hit drop shots against him very often.

[Aurellian]

I play this Thai lady and she is always switching out my new balls for her old balls..now I know why.

I am the BKK 3.0 equivalent of Raconic and they cant return my serve or my hard forehands but they are better tennis players so the slow balls gives them the advantage. ...and they use dead balls, as in the balls have been used for three months every day.

[Hi I'm Ray]

^^ Use it against them, hit them a couple of drop shots and slice to their backhands if you know how to hit a skidding slice. I always do that to my hitting partner if we have a flat ball in the mix. He's the fastest player I hit against and even he can't get to drop shots with dead balls.

[Aurellian]

Originally Posted by Say Chi Sin Lo

Even if you're nice enough to overlook all of your hitting partner's reasons for using dead balls, you can't overlook the following reason:

Dead balls are health hazards on the court.

Why is this?