Do you only play with new balls?

[Mitcheson]

Hi,

I am just curious about this, and would like to hear from you guys what you think.

I'm not really picky about balls. I will play with any used balls, whatever I have available in my bag. Sometimes only used once, sometimes 10 times or more. The few times I bought new balls were to please other players, but not really for myself. Yes, I'm cheap.

However, I've noticed a lot of people are "ball snobs". By using this term, I don't mean to offend anybody here. It's your business whatever you like to do with your money. It's just that some people only like to play with new balls. And if they are playing with used balls, when they are losing, they will blame it on the balls. Which doesn't make sense, because we are both playing with the SAME balls.

I think these people, when they have to play with used ones, they don't do as well, because they are so used to playing with new balls. And to people who are not as picky, it makes no difference.

Sure, new balls got a nice bounce to it, but I think one can play well with older balls too. It's all in the mind.

What do you think? Do you only play with new balls? Why? Or are you like me, who just wants to play, no matter the ball condition?

For the record, I am a league player, and have been playing for 6 years, I'm a 4.0/4.5 borderline (female).

Tennis is meant to be played with new balls. It makes a MASSIVE difference. They fly much faster, bounce higher and reward spin with trajectory and liveliness off the court. Old balls just waste your energy and encourage bad technique like muscling your shots instead of playing fluidly. Bald balls with worn out felt wreck the aerodynamics and control from spin, especially in heat and warm air. Actually even people who are not big hitters at least can get some speed and do more damage with their shots when the balls are new.

Proper tennis players are good ball strikers, but you get hackers and hustlers who deliberately show up with crappy worn out balls to turn it into a running and retrieving match. Even the best retrievers won't get new balls back when a good player is connecting with penetrating shots. Old balls are a leveller and disarm a good player and hackers know that.

Old balls are ok for casual practice if you can't afford too many new ones. There is good reason that pro tournaments change the balls every 9 games or so.

 

[TTMR]

New balls every half set. I'd do new balls every other game but my trust fund only goes so far.