Supernatural_Serve
Professional
The ITF specifies balls for each court surface (hard, clay, or grass) and for elevation (below or above 4,000 ft). For grass courts (fast courts), they specify "slow" balls, for hard courts (medium-fast courts), they specify "medium-slow" balls, and for clay courts (slow courts), they specify "fast" balls.
Is it reasonable to assume that balls meant for play on hard courts, "medium-slow" balls when played on clay courts (slow courts), will play faster than balls meant for play on clay courts?
By faster, I mean they won't bounce as high, won't bounce with quite as high an outbound angle, won't achieve their apex as early, won't slow down as much upon bounce, all other things being equal (identically struck, same trajectory, same spin, etc.)?
and
by faster, I mean that one can actually experience an appreciable difference between playing with hard court balls on clay versus clay court balls on clay.
I am interested in understanding how the "wrong" ball type for a given surface can "neutralize" or alter the playing experience.
Any comments on clay balls on hard courts would also be appreciated.
Is it reasonable to assume that balls meant for play on hard courts, "medium-slow" balls when played on clay courts (slow courts), will play faster than balls meant for play on clay courts?
By faster, I mean they won't bounce as high, won't bounce with quite as high an outbound angle, won't achieve their apex as early, won't slow down as much upon bounce, all other things being equal (identically struck, same trajectory, same spin, etc.)?
and
by faster, I mean that one can actually experience an appreciable difference between playing with hard court balls on clay versus clay court balls on clay.
I am interested in understanding how the "wrong" ball type for a given surface can "neutralize" or alter the playing experience.
Any comments on clay balls on hard courts would also be appreciated.
