Best Tennis Balls
- Thread starter Shaun
- Start date
Ronaldo
Bionic Poster
Penn ATP balls are swell, http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/Pen...is_Ball_24_Can_Case/descpageHEAD-ATPRD24.html
Roger Wawrinka
Professional
Penn ATP are very good. The best ones I've ever tried though are either Babolat All court or Tecnifibre x-one.
ilovetennis212
Professional
The_Question
Hall of Fame
Actually, I feel the complete opposite. They feel heavy, less lively, and dead on the spot...
finalfantasy7
Semi-Pro
penn marathons extra duty - never tried regular
Nostradamus
Bionic Poster
Wilson US open balls are now the BEST. Penn ATP tour ball used to be the best but now US open balls have past them
SystemicAnomaly
Bionic Poster
Wilson Champs are not very good balls. Penn Champs are somewhat better but go soft and noticeably lose their bounce by the 2nd set. There also seems to be one substandard ball in every can of Penn Champs -- sometimes it is a cosmetic reject and other times one ball does not bounce as well as the other two.
Penn ATP and Wilson US Open are both premium (professional grade) balls. Either one of these should be better choices than either Championship products. Unless you are playing on clay, be sure to get the extra duty balls rather than the regular duty balls. The Dunlop Grand Prix or Slazenger Wimbledon balls, if you can get them, would be even better options.
However, your best bet would be Prince Tour (extra duty) balls.
Prince has heard you and has brought back their Tour balls:
http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?p=7853757#post7853757
LiquidWhip
Rookie
Tretorn Micro X - they're pressureless so won't lose their bounce. You can can quite literally hit them until the fuzz comes off.
SystemicAnomaly
Bionic Poster
^ The bounce of a new pressureless ball is usually somewhat lower than that of a new pressurized ball. At higher altitudes the difference can be even greater. Pressureless ball also feel harder than conventional balls -- they probably deliver more shock to the arm. This can result in greater shoulder crunch, elbow crunch & wrist crunch. Many players with TE or GE cannot stand playing with pressureless balls for this reason.
doctor dennis
Semi-Pro
Head Radical are my tennis balls of choice. Cheap and durable. Tried Head ATP. Great out the can but die extremely quick.
hrstrat57
Hall of Fame
praetorean
New User
Slazenger Wimby's are the best... surprised no one mentions this here hehehe...
the Head ATP follows next (but then again, that's also from Penn
)...
SystemicAnomaly
Bionic Poster
Slazenger Wimby's are the best... surprised no one mentions this here hehehe...
the Head ATP follows next (but then again, that's also from Penn
The Slazenger ball was mentioned twice on page 1 of this thread. The Prince Tour is the only ball that I put ahead of that Wimbledon ball. However, I have not yet tried the brand new/resurrected Penn Tour balls so I do not know if they are as good as the one that were available prior to 2012.
I would place the Dunlop Grand Prix just after the Slazenger ball.
Ha, that DunlopHDHardCourtChamp ball......
Today, 59 degrees, partial fog, and my first serves were bouncing IN and hitting waist high at the backboard, with a solid THUD, and carooming crazily 30' high or sideways like a groundstroke.
Easy 110's, for sure.
I had a bad opening doubles set, trying too many drop angles and wishful thinking shots.
Then played a set of singles against next year's #28 NorCal girl's 16.
GIVE ME HEAVY tennis balls!
Today, 59 degrees, partial fog, and my first serves were bouncing IN and hitting waist high at the backboard, with a solid THUD, and carooming crazily 30' high or sideways like a groundstroke.
Easy 110's, for sure.
I had a bad opening doubles set, trying too many drop angles and wishful thinking shots.
Then played a set of singles against next year's #28 NorCal girl's 16.
GIVE ME HEAVY tennis balls!
Ronaldo
Bionic Poster
Ha, that DunlopHDHardCourtChamp ball......
Today, 59 degrees, partial fog, and my first serves were bouncing IN and hitting waist high at the backboard, with a solid THUD, and carooming crazily 30' high or sideways like a groundstroke.
Easy 110's, for sure.
I had a bad opening doubles set, trying too many drop angles and wishful thinking shots.
Then played a set of singles against next year's #28 NorCal girl's 16.
GIVE ME HEAVY tennis balls!
Used the Penn Atp reg-duty ball today. Old guys with bad joints hate them, too heavy. Splained that this is what most balls feel like.
SJSA
Professional
Ronaldo
Bionic Poster
Wilson Championship Balls, just right, light, great bounce, do not fluff.
SystemicAnomaly
Bionic Poster
Have not seen Dunlop Fort balls in this part of the planet. Have you tried the Grand Prix balls from Dunlop? How do the Fort balls compare to these or the Head (Penn) ATP balls?
You are probably in the minority on this. I believe that most of us HATE the Wilson Champs. Are you using regular or extra duty. What altitude are you playing at? Cold or warm/hot conditions? Humidity?
You are probably in the minority on this. I believe that most of us HATE the Wilson Champs. Are you using regular or extra duty. What altitude are you playing at? Cold or warm/hot conditions? Humidity?
A month ago, I actually bought two cans of WilsonChampHardCourts to see my serves fly.
I could bounce first flats well over hip high, really hit well over 110, and feel like Superman.
Unfortunately, I couldn't sustain a rally to save my life, and everything was max 3 shots and a unreturnable.
This conincided with a heat spell of 70 degrees during the mornings I was playing.
BAD balls, worthless for tennis, good for serving exhibitions.
I could bounce first flats well over hip high, really hit well over 110, and feel like Superman.
Unfortunately, I couldn't sustain a rally to save my life, and everything was max 3 shots and a unreturnable.
This conincided with a heat spell of 70 degrees during the mornings I was playing.
BAD balls, worthless for tennis, good for serving exhibitions.
Ronaldo
Bionic Poster
Good balls for sore joints LeeD. Nearly everyone else prefers a heavier ball.
I get your point.
When I was playing competitive tennis back in the late '70's, WilsonHardCourtChamps were the balls used most often. I could serve into the mid 120's with those balls, and especially at WalnutCreek/Pleasanton/Orinda/Lafayette/OaklandCity Open tourneys. Those tourneys were held in air temps above 80 degrees, with Concord 100, and PleasantHill also. At those triple digits, I actually couldn't serve very well, as I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, and felt dead tired.
I"m from SanFrancisco's fog belt, the SunsetDistrict, where summer days were 52-58 degrees, and we see the sun once every other week. Some summers, we don't see any sun for 50+ days in a row, but that is not the norm. The normal summers, from June thru Sept., we do see the sun about 10 days.
Racing motocross in 100+ temps, I have only trophied in Vet classes, either Novice, Intermediate, or Expert when I got there. Every other old fart dies in that heat also.
When I was playing competitive tennis back in the late '70's, WilsonHardCourtChamps were the balls used most often. I could serve into the mid 120's with those balls, and especially at WalnutCreek/Pleasanton/Orinda/Lafayette/OaklandCity Open tourneys. Those tourneys were held in air temps above 80 degrees, with Concord 100, and PleasantHill also. At those triple digits, I actually couldn't serve very well, as I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, and felt dead tired.
I"m from SanFrancisco's fog belt, the SunsetDistrict, where summer days were 52-58 degrees, and we see the sun once every other week. Some summers, we don't see any sun for 50+ days in a row, but that is not the norm. The normal summers, from June thru Sept., we do see the sun about 10 days.
Racing motocross in 100+ temps, I have only trophied in Vet classes, either Novice, Intermediate, or Expert when I got there. Every other old fart dies in that heat also.
i find that the "best ball" depends on how you hit and who with--
i hit a lot of Topspin- i bought 5 cases of balls last year- here is how i would rate them - all extra duty -- the regular are too light..
ATP penn
Pro Penn
penn championship
US Open
Dunlop grandprix
the penn champs are the lightest of the batch- better for slower games as they are easy to hit long.. so recreational doubles- mixed etc..
the grandprix feel good but they do fluff up a lot within say 1 hour of hitting-- then i put in ball hopper but they dont hold pressure too long as they look more worn out than everything else so i gave them all away to some kids to use..
us open- not much better than the dunlops-- when i hit with someone else who has as much spin as me the balls look like they have an "afro" in 8 or so games-- they hold pressure ok for the hopper but they are far fluffier than the last 2.. would be ok if like the pros we change balls every 7 games or so. by the second set these look done..
ATP penn- seems heavier than the us open and Pro Penn-- doesnt fluff like the us open- lasts longer in the hopper- good for a full 2 sets and practice another day.. and a bonus is you can get a 4 ball can which to me is perfect. more defects in the balls than propenn..but cheaper by far..
Pro Penn_ so far the best of the bunch-- next cases i order will be these-
little better visibility- dont seem as hard as the ATP penn- they dont fluff up as bad as any other ball- and they are definitely good to use a second day-- and more - in a tennis ball saver can use a 3rd and 4th time
now if you and your partner hit flat then the dunlops might be fine for the price.. or penn champs from costco..
i hit a lot of Topspin- i bought 5 cases of balls last year- here is how i would rate them - all extra duty -- the regular are too light..
ATP penn
Pro Penn
penn championship
US Open
Dunlop grandprix
the penn champs are the lightest of the batch- better for slower games as they are easy to hit long.. so recreational doubles- mixed etc..
the grandprix feel good but they do fluff up a lot within say 1 hour of hitting-- then i put in ball hopper but they dont hold pressure too long as they look more worn out than everything else so i gave them all away to some kids to use..
us open- not much better than the dunlops-- when i hit with someone else who has as much spin as me the balls look like they have an "afro" in 8 or so games-- they hold pressure ok for the hopper but they are far fluffier than the last 2.. would be ok if like the pros we change balls every 7 games or so. by the second set these look done..
ATP penn- seems heavier than the us open and Pro Penn-- doesnt fluff like the us open- lasts longer in the hopper- good for a full 2 sets and practice another day.. and a bonus is you can get a 4 ball can which to me is perfect. more defects in the balls than propenn..but cheaper by far..
Pro Penn_ so far the best of the bunch-- next cases i order will be these-
little better visibility- dont seem as hard as the ATP penn- they dont fluff up as bad as any other ball- and they are definitely good to use a second day-- and more - in a tennis ball saver can use a 3rd and 4th time
now if you and your partner hit flat then the dunlops might be fine for the price.. or penn champs from costco..
Ronaldo
Bionic Poster
Cannot use these balls, most look like Don King balls after a set. Prefer regular-duty.
Ronaldo
Bionic Poster
Bought a can of these to try out:
Best-looking balls ever. Tight nap, seams to dream about. Round, firm ball. $6/can?
Ronaldo
Bionic Poster
A bargain, eh?
mikeler
Moderator
I'm a ball snob. If I really like them, I would consider getting a case.
Ronaldo
Bionic Poster
Saw those balls this year from a mixed dubs court who raved about them. They used to use Prince balls until they were unavailable.
mikeler
Moderator
I bought them because the local shop said they are having problems with supply. Even though they are expensive, I guess they are developing a cult following. I'll report back on them tomorrow.
SystemicAnomaly
Bionic Poster
The Prince Tour balls have, once again, become available. However, I do not see the cheaper Prince Championship ball on the Prince site. The Prince Tour balls were the best ball available IMHO. They were much longer lasting than any other pressurized ball that I've tried. The Tours, when they were previously available, were a premium ball with outstanding quality control and an excellent feel and bounce. They felt noticeably softer than other premium ball (yet held their pressure quite a long time).
http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/reviews/ptxd/ptxdreview.html
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Ronaldo
Bionic Poster
We were lucky to use the Prince ball during our USTA Adult League for a couple of years. It was the ball provided by our district.
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SystemicAnomaly
Bionic Poster
Was it the Prince Tour or the Prince Championship ball? The Tour is their premium/pro ball whereas the Championship, like other brands of Championships, was their amateur or high-end rec ball. It appears that Prince has not (yet?) brought back their Championship ball. The resurrected Tour ball seems to be available only from a few sources at this point. Hopefully, TW and others will carry them in the near future.
Ronaldo
Bionic Poster
Definitely the Tour ball. The Hardcourt ball was in the green can, regular-duty in a purple can. Bought my first and last can of Championship balls from Walmart. Never again
