Tennis Warehouse: Explosive Red String (price change to $14!)
- Thread starter TW Staff
- Start date
Voytek Bunia
Rookie
Been playing with this ball the past few days. It is the same Dunlop AO ball that’s been out the past few months but a different yellow.
I’ve tried almost every ball and this one is my favorite. But at $5 a can, it’s pricey. Regular Penn $2 cans are still my go to.
I’ve tried almost every ball and this one is my favorite. But at $5 a can, it’s pricey. Regular Penn $2 cans are still my go to.
the_faceless_player
Professional
ATP ball is not the same as AO. They use different cores but have the same cloth.
jmacdaununder2
Legend
Lol!! I can't even buy balls from the servo for those prices!! Try AU $10-$12 can from major sports stores; AU$8 superseded or gray import if you get lucky; AU$14-$16 - traditional price - specialty store/pro shop retail - although things are finally improving with regard to the last category.
Voytek Bunia
Rookie
Sorry. Meant to say that they play exactly the same.
mad dog1
G.O.A.T.
Regular Penn balls suck balls though.
mad dog1
G.O.A.T.
I haven’t tried the new Dunlops but I grabbed some of the new Penn Tour balls at IW and was very impressed with the feel, durability and bounce.
haqq777
Legend
Are these Penn Tours a new release? I don't like the Penn Championship ones (Wilson US Open are my go-to) but haven't tried Penn Tour yet. I got in this playtest so will try to compare as best as I can. Hopefully these Dunlops are good and come at a decent price point.
mad dog1
G.O.A.T.
The new Penn Tours replaced the Head ATP ball which was a pretty decent ball. The Penn Tours are even better. They remind me of the soft comfortable feel of the Slazenger ball with comparable if not slightly longer lasting bounce and felt than the ProPenn Marathon Extra Duty ball.
The ProPenn Marathon Extra Duty ball is great except it can feel a little hard.
movdqa
Talk Tennis Guru
I'm using the Penn ATPs and I like them quite a bit. It is a tossup between the Penn ATP and Wilson US Open. The Wilson US Open is slightly softer and a bit less durable but they're both good balls. I want to see if there's another good ball available and how the Dunlops compare - I hope that the playtesters are familiar with the other high-end tennis balls commonly in use.
mad dog1
G.O.A.T.
There were Head ATPs and that have been replaced by Penn Tours. I don’t think Penn ATP balls exist. Having played with both of these, I feel the Penn Tour is a better ball in every aspect.
Edit: there were Penn ATP balls. Not sure why I thought they were Head ATP. Anyways, I think the new Penn Tours are better.
Edit2: just googled and there are Head ATP balls! Lol.
Last edited:
movdqa
Talk Tennis Guru
I have a case of Penn ATP World Tour balls in my office. I took 18 months off to battle cancer so I haven't bought a case in a long time. I used to buy cases of US Opens but experimented around because the US Opens went up every year and I settled on the Head ATP balls. They were a little harder but they have excellent durability. It will take me a little while to go through this case and then I have to decide on what is next. So I'd like a list of characteristics of the balls. What one person may prefer isn't necessarily the same as what another person would prefer so I like to look at a variety of perspectives.
What I will likely do is get a bunch of opinions, then pick the top three or four balls and then try out a few cans of each - kind of like a racquet or string playtest. I suspect that I could always go back to the Wilson US Opens. I have no idea what they cost today but I guess I should prepare myself.
Not a part of this playtest, but I had achance to hit with a fresh can of these for two hours yesterday. I normally hit with Wilson Championship extra duty. Compared to them, the Dunlops were a little harder, but not rocky. They didn't fluff up too much, but it felt like after the first hour and a half the balls had a noticeable drop in pace. Maybe the real durability in these balls is how well they play after the first hour and a half. I'd have to play with them more to find out. This was low-mid 4.5 level drilling and games in Florida in the sun and a temperature in the mid 60s. Humidity was low by Florida standards too. All in all, not a bad ball, but I get about the same life out of Wilson Championship balls at a significantly lower price point.
topspn
Legend
Oh, I didn’t see this playtest so I didn’t apply but I was very curious about the new Dunlop ATP balls. I got a couple of cans of the championship and premium HD. I will provide my thoughts on both but I did try a championship can this morning for an hour hit. It is certainly far better on feel then Wilson or penn championship balls. In fact no comparison
movdqa
Talk Tennis Guru
I'm not impressed by either the Wilson or Penn Championship balls. I often play on outdoor courts that are very abrasive and the lower-tier tennis balls go bald after less than an hour. The better quality balls last a lot longer.
Looking forward to your write-up.
topspn
Legend
Totally agree, I hate both of them and really dislike when someone pops open a can of them before I can pull out one of propenn marathon or Wilson US open. The Dunlop championship were significantly better with a nice feel, nice predictable bounce, good rotation and nice control. They dont feel as heavy as propenn. I will use the same can tomorrow and see how long it will last. I usually open a new can every two hits and then get rid of them
Nostradamus
Bionic Poster
How many cans will the testers be receiving ? full box ?
Injured Again
Hall of Fame
I received two cans of the Dunlop ATP regular duty balls, and used both of them during a 90 minute practice session with my son, who is a hard hitting 25 year old 4.5 level player. We played on an indoor, moderately fast hard court.
Normally, I hit with Pro Penn Marathon balls in regular duty, or either the regular or extra duty Penn Championship balls. I run into the US Open balls primarily during tournaments. I have one regular hitting partner who uses the Dunlop Grand Prix all surface balls.
Like the Wilson US Open and Dunlop Grand Prix balls, the Dunlop ATP balls have a deader, more cushioned response than the Pro Penn Marathons or the Penn Championship balls in either regular or extra duty. Ball velocity off the stringbed when brand new is roughly equal to the Penn Championship tier of balls, and slower than the Pro Penn Marathons. The Penn Championship balls start to lose their bounce after 30-60 minutes. The Dunlop ATP balls play pretty similarly to the US Open balls and retained their feel throughout 90 minutes of intense practice drilling and hitting. However, like the Dunlop Grand Prix balls, the Dunlop ATP balls fluff up about about 15 minutes, and that reduces their flight distance and shortens the length of the bounce and forward ball speed after the bounce, though the bounce height stays relatively the same. When the balls fluffed up, the ability to impart spin was reduced, though any spin put on the ball had a magnified effect.
Compared to US Open balls, the Dunlop ATP balls seem a just a little bit more lively at first, but then play pretty similarly after they fluff up. Both are cushioned and slow, but very consistent throughout a 90 minute session.
Compared to the Pro Penn Marathon balls, the Dunlop ATP balls are slower both initially and at the end of the 90 minutes. The Marathon balls don't fluff up, but they gradually lose their bounce over time. However, I find I can usually practice with two cans for two 90 minute sessions with the Marathon balls and still have them perform effectively. None of the other balls, including the US Open, can make it through two 90 minute sessions without becoming worn to the point they fly differently, or lose their bounce to the point where they are probably below regulation.
Compared to the Penn Championship balls, the Dunlop ATP balls feel relatively the same initially. However, the Penn Championship balls start to lose their bounce and get worn before an hour of hitting, and continue to degrade with continued use.
Compared to the Dunlop Grand Prix balls, the Dunlop ATP balls are more lively, seem to fluff up a bit less, and retain their bounce and feel better. That being said, almost every time I play with the Grand Prix balls, they fluff up so much the are almost the size of an orange, and then play really slowly.
After 90 minutes, they had a bit less bounce than a three-hour used Pro Penn Marathon, and a bit more bounce than a 90 minute Penn Championship tier ball.
I shot a phone video of the last 15 minutes of a 90 minute practice with my son. This was my second 90 minute session of the day, and I had lifted weights in between. My legs were totally dead so you get to see the most ugly of the ugly. We were drilling - he's a lefty and at that time was supposed to be hitting primarily crosscourt backhands and down-the-line forehands, so 80% to my forehand. When he did hit it to my backhand and I felt in good balance, I was supposed to drive it hard down the line. I hold up the balls to the camera at about 2 minutes in, and again at just before 10 minutes in, so you can see what they looked like. I'm using Solinco Hyper-G and he is using Volkl Cyclone, so the ball takes a fair amount of abuse.
The Dunlop ATP balls were good because the fluffed up nature got us both just hitting moderate top instead of anything extremely spinny, and gave us the ability to swing pretty hard at the ball and still keep it in. It's easy to see why this is a pro ball - it helps keep control with the massive racquet head speed that the pros can generate, and retains its bounce and feel throughout. However, at this price point, it is hard to see it being a good consumer practice ball when two cans of the Pro Penn Marathons have proven longevity through three hours of practice and are less expensive.
Have a good laugh at my expense - I sure do looking at how stiff and slow I am when I am that worn out and ready for a nap. I'm a 57 year old aggressive all-court player, USTA 4.5 rated.
Normally, I hit with Pro Penn Marathon balls in regular duty, or either the regular or extra duty Penn Championship balls. I run into the US Open balls primarily during tournaments. I have one regular hitting partner who uses the Dunlop Grand Prix all surface balls.
Like the Wilson US Open and Dunlop Grand Prix balls, the Dunlop ATP balls have a deader, more cushioned response than the Pro Penn Marathons or the Penn Championship balls in either regular or extra duty. Ball velocity off the stringbed when brand new is roughly equal to the Penn Championship tier of balls, and slower than the Pro Penn Marathons. The Penn Championship balls start to lose their bounce after 30-60 minutes. The Dunlop ATP balls play pretty similarly to the US Open balls and retained their feel throughout 90 minutes of intense practice drilling and hitting. However, like the Dunlop Grand Prix balls, the Dunlop ATP balls fluff up about about 15 minutes, and that reduces their flight distance and shortens the length of the bounce and forward ball speed after the bounce, though the bounce height stays relatively the same. When the balls fluffed up, the ability to impart spin was reduced, though any spin put on the ball had a magnified effect.
Compared to US Open balls, the Dunlop ATP balls seem a just a little bit more lively at first, but then play pretty similarly after they fluff up. Both are cushioned and slow, but very consistent throughout a 90 minute session.
Compared to the Pro Penn Marathon balls, the Dunlop ATP balls are slower both initially and at the end of the 90 minutes. The Marathon balls don't fluff up, but they gradually lose their bounce over time. However, I find I can usually practice with two cans for two 90 minute sessions with the Marathon balls and still have them perform effectively. None of the other balls, including the US Open, can make it through two 90 minute sessions without becoming worn to the point they fly differently, or lose their bounce to the point where they are probably below regulation.
Compared to the Penn Championship balls, the Dunlop ATP balls feel relatively the same initially. However, the Penn Championship balls start to lose their bounce and get worn before an hour of hitting, and continue to degrade with continued use.
Compared to the Dunlop Grand Prix balls, the Dunlop ATP balls are more lively, seem to fluff up a bit less, and retain their bounce and feel better. That being said, almost every time I play with the Grand Prix balls, they fluff up so much the are almost the size of an orange, and then play really slowly.
After 90 minutes, they had a bit less bounce than a three-hour used Pro Penn Marathon, and a bit more bounce than a 90 minute Penn Championship tier ball.
I shot a phone video of the last 15 minutes of a 90 minute practice with my son. This was my second 90 minute session of the day, and I had lifted weights in between. My legs were totally dead so you get to see the most ugly of the ugly. We were drilling - he's a lefty and at that time was supposed to be hitting primarily crosscourt backhands and down-the-line forehands, so 80% to my forehand. When he did hit it to my backhand and I felt in good balance, I was supposed to drive it hard down the line. I hold up the balls to the camera at about 2 minutes in, and again at just before 10 minutes in, so you can see what they looked like. I'm using Solinco Hyper-G and he is using Volkl Cyclone, so the ball takes a fair amount of abuse.
The Dunlop ATP balls were good because the fluffed up nature got us both just hitting moderate top instead of anything extremely spinny, and gave us the ability to swing pretty hard at the ball and still keep it in. It's easy to see why this is a pro ball - it helps keep control with the massive racquet head speed that the pros can generate, and retains its bounce and feel throughout. However, at this price point, it is hard to see it being a good consumer practice ball when two cans of the Pro Penn Marathons have proven longevity through three hours of practice and are less expensive.
Have a good laugh at my expense - I sure do looking at how stiff and slow I am when I am that worn out and ready for a nap. I'm a 57 year old aggressive all-court player, USTA 4.5 rated.
Injured Again
Hall of Fame
Oops!
haqq777
Legend
sanister
Professional
Im the same age and you would totally kick my butt!! Good hitting mate.
fl4tsc
Rookie
Scheduled to receive my playtest cans tomorrow, but coincidentally played a local tournament this weekend that was using the balls.
Overall, was very impressed by how they played and their longevity maintaining a good bounce. I'm a big server / one-two punch kind of player and with cheaper Penn or Wilson championship balls I can get in trouble in the 2nd set when the balls start to die and my serve doesn't have the same effect. I didn't have that problem at all this weekend with the Dunlops.
I did find that they fluffed up quite a bit at first, but then not too much later that fluff had worn off.
Thought they played as consistently as a non-tour player would ever notice. Decent bit softer than Penn Championships (what I typically get stuck with) making it easier to "work" the ball a little longer on the strings.
This was on some medium-fast outdoor hard courts.
Official review incoming when I can get some impressions outside of match play.
Overall, was very impressed by how they played and their longevity maintaining a good bounce. I'm a big server / one-two punch kind of player and with cheaper Penn or Wilson championship balls I can get in trouble in the 2nd set when the balls start to die and my serve doesn't have the same effect. I didn't have that problem at all this weekend with the Dunlops.
I did find that they fluffed up quite a bit at first, but then not too much later that fluff had worn off.
Thought they played as consistently as a non-tour player would ever notice. Decent bit softer than Penn Championships (what I typically get stuck with) making it easier to "work" the ball a little longer on the strings.
This was on some medium-fast outdoor hard courts.
Official review incoming when I can get some impressions outside of match play.
Received Dunlop ATP Extra Duty Tennis Balls.
First impressions the can looks really good, love the blue and black. Marketing department did a great job with the layout. Here are before hitting pics taken. Big thanks to my hitting partner for taking Photos!!!!!!!!
the second pic is after ten minutes in the warm up they start to fluff up a bit.
Upon opening they did not feel as hard as compared to a Wilson U.S. Open Extra Duty ball which I use regularly. But not as soft as ProPenn Marathon. I would say it’s a 7 out of 10 for rubber stiffness.
The Dunlop ATP Extra Duty Balls had a tight felt upon opening. But after about 10 minutes with a short warm up they started to fluff up. After that they stayed about the same consistency as far as fluffiness for the 2 hours of hitting. And 7 out of 10 stiffness was the same the whole hitting session. I did not feel there was a drop off in bounce, spin, or play.
During the 2 hour hit the ball responded very well and I would say that Dunlop has done a great job with the ATP Extra Duty ball. I have played in a tournament that used Dunlop Grand Prix and I did not like the experience at all. I felt after one set I was using a dead flat tennis ball, so this was a pleasant surprise that the ATP Extra Duty ball stayed in tact and the response was very consistent.
I will update later this week after I get the chance to hit on court more.
Pics after 2 hours of hitting on hard court.
First impressions the can looks really good, love the blue and black. Marketing department did a great job with the layout. Here are before hitting pics taken. Big thanks to my hitting partner for taking Photos!!!!!!!!
Upon opening they did not feel as hard as compared to a Wilson U.S. Open Extra Duty ball which I use regularly. But not as soft as ProPenn Marathon. I would say it’s a 7 out of 10 for rubber stiffness.
The Dunlop ATP Extra Duty Balls had a tight felt upon opening. But after about 10 minutes with a short warm up they started to fluff up. After that they stayed about the same consistency as far as fluffiness for the 2 hours of hitting. And 7 out of 10 stiffness was the same the whole hitting session. I did not feel there was a drop off in bounce, spin, or play.
During the 2 hour hit the ball responded very well and I would say that Dunlop has done a great job with the ATP Extra Duty ball. I have played in a tournament that used Dunlop Grand Prix and I did not like the experience at all. I felt after one set I was using a dead flat tennis ball, so this was a pleasant surprise that the ATP Extra Duty ball stayed in tact and the response was very consistent.
I will update later this week after I get the chance to hit on court more.
Pics after 2 hours of hitting on hard court.
Injured Again
Hall of Fame
mogo, looks like your extra duty balls fluffed up more than my regular duty balls, but that otherwise we had almost exactly the same impressions. That looks like a pretty gritty court surface. Is it a pretty slow court? And your green strings in your Clash - Wilson Revolve or Revolve Spin, or Hyper-G?
Are you going to hit with those balls again?
Are you going to hit with those balls again?
Injured Again
Hall of Fame
By the way, I did ask my son for his impressions and he thought the balls did get a little bit slower after the bounce as our session went on, though they still did bounce as high. He said it made his timing a bit too early and he felt like he had to slow down his swing timing just a bit to compensate, as well as step forward about six inches for the shorter distance bounce. In all likelihood, it was probably me that wasn't hitting the ball quite as hard as I got tired.
Most interesting was that he said he felt like he could more easily hit topspin off my backhand slices, but couldn't really get the feel to hit his usual biting underspin himself, but he doesn't know why. From my viewpoint, my slices looked like they usually do so I'm not sure how this might be ball related in any way. He says he prefers the Marathon balls because they are harder, feel like they sink into his stringbed a bit more, and he has the confidence to really give them a good whack. He uses a Pure Drive Tour Plus, weighted to about 370 grams and about a 355 swingweight, strung with Volkl Cyclone 1.25 at 52 pounds. Incredibly hefty but he swings it easily.
He and I will be pulling out these same Dunlop ATP balls for a second hitting session on Thursday and I'll post comments afterwards.
Most interesting was that he said he felt like he could more easily hit topspin off my backhand slices, but couldn't really get the feel to hit his usual biting underspin himself, but he doesn't know why. From my viewpoint, my slices looked like they usually do so I'm not sure how this might be ball related in any way. He says he prefers the Marathon balls because they are harder, feel like they sink into his stringbed a bit more, and he has the confidence to really give them a good whack. He uses a Pure Drive Tour Plus, weighted to about 370 grams and about a 355 swingweight, strung with Volkl Cyclone 1.25 at 52 pounds. Incredibly hefty but he swings it easily.
He and I will be pulling out these same Dunlop ATP balls for a second hitting session on Thursday and I'll post comments afterwards.
haqq777
Legend
Received Dunlop ATP Extra Duty Tennis Balls.
First impressions the can looks really good, love the blue and black. Marketing department did a great job with the layout. Here are before hitting pics taken. Big thanks to my hitting partner for taking Photos!!!!!!!!
the second pic is after ten minutes in the warm up they start to fluff up a bit.
Upon opening they did not feel as hard as compared to a Wilson U.S. Open Extra Duty ball which I use regularly. But not as soft as ProPenn Marathon. I would say it’s a 7 out of 10 for rubber stiffness.
The Dunlop ATP Extra Duty Balls had a tight felt upon opening. But after about 10 minutes with a short warm up they started to fluff up. After that they stayed about the same consistency as far as fluffiness for the 2 hours of hitting. And 7 out of 10 stiffness was the same the whole hitting session. I did not feel there was a drop off in bounce, spin, or play.
During the 2 hour hit the ball responded very well and I would say that Dunlop has done a great job with the ATP Extra Duty ball. I have played in a tournament that used Dunlop Grand Prix and I did not like the experience at all. I felt after one set I was using a dead flat tennis ball, so this was a pleasant surprise that the ATP Extra Duty ball stayed in tact and the response was very consistent.
I will update later this week after I get the chance to hit on court more.
Pics after 2 hours of hitting on hard court.
Great pics and feedback @mogo!
Courts are about Medium-Slow I would say. I used the Clash Tour with Hyper G 17gauge @ 48pds.....lots of topspin and my hitting partner used a Babolat Pure Drive + with Volkl Cyclone Tour 16G @ 52 also a ton of spin. But the ATP Extra Duty help up well. I am going to try to hit maybe 2 more times and see if there is any drop off in play. But I am really happy with the results right now.
Meanwhile
It's worth the wait!!!!!!! What Dunlop balls will you be getting???
haqq777
Legend
I'm getting mine today! I requested Extra Duty. Indoor fast playing courts for me.
Devil_dog
Hall of Fame
Received Dunlop ATP Extra Duty Tennis Balls.
First impressions the can looks really good, love the blue and black. Marketing department did a great job with the layout. Here are before hitting pics taken. Big thanks to my hitting partner for taking Photos!!!!!!!!
the second pic is after ten minutes in the warm up they start to fluff up a bit.
Upon opening they did not feel as hard as compared to a Wilson U.S. Open Extra Duty ball which I use regularly. But not as soft as ProPenn Marathon. I would say it’s a 7 out of 10 for rubber stiffness.
The Dunlop ATP Extra Duty Balls had a tight felt upon opening. But after about 10 minutes with a short warm up they started to fluff up. After that they stayed about the same consistency as far as fluffiness for the 2 hours of hitting. And 7 out of 10 stiffness was the same the whole hitting session. I did not feel there was a drop off in bounce, spin, or play.
During the 2 hour hit the ball responded very well and I would say that Dunlop has done a great job with the ATP Extra Duty ball. I have played in a tournament that used Dunlop Grand Prix and I did not like the experience at all. I felt after one set I was using a dead flat tennis ball, so this was a pleasant surprise that the ATP Extra Duty ball stayed in tact and the response was very consistent.
I will update later this week after I get the chance to hit on court more.
Pics after 2 hours of hitting on hard court.
I had the pleasure of hitting with @mogo with the Dunlop balls and I was impressed with the playability of the balls. I echo Mogo's thoughts, too.
I was impressed by the linear play of the balls throughout our hitting session. I never felt like the Dunlops were losing pressure or bounce throughout the entire time. What amazed me too was the fact that the felt never seemed to give up their fluffed up state! In comparison to the U.S. Open balls that also tend to fluff but then eventually fall off or away toward the end of a match, the Dunlops held on to seemingly every fiber! That can be good or bad depending on your style of play, imho.
But another observation I had was that each ball played very nearly consistent with the other. In other words, there wasn't a bad or questionable ball in the can. All six balls played true and had little to no variance in bounce, spin or feel. That's pretty impressive to me. I've had cans of balls that nearly have at least one ball that didn't quite play as true as the other two. I know it's sometimes a "you get what you pay for" scenario and I understand that, too.
The Dunlops that Mogo tested were the extra duty and initially felt slightly on the light side (like a regular felt) to me but upon hitting with them, with the buildup of the nap the balls played exactly like an extra duty ball. Both @mogo and I were bashing from the baseline quite a bit so the balls definitely got worked over with variety of topspin, slice and flat shots. The speed, bounce and spin remained consistent, imho, throughout our session.
Bottom line: A very good ball that I would rank up with the premium balls (imho) that I've hit with like the Wilson U.S. Opens and the Pro Penn ATP balls.
Thanks to @mogo, @TW Staff and Dunlop for an enjoyable playtest!
haqq777
Legend
I just came back from a 3 hour session hitting with the local college kids + drills and I have to say I am very impressed by these balls. These are fantastic balls. Initial impressions echo that of some posters above. I will be sharing some pictures of the balls before & after the hit and give my detailed feedback in the next day or two.
tennisgurl
Semi-Pro
Nope, the ones in your picture are the Championship balls which are slightly cheaper option available by Dunlop. I am on the playtest as well and ones we have received are the premium ATP balls (Regular or Extra Duty options).
Is this the same ball being playtested?
mhkeuns
Hall of Fame
Thanks.
topspn
Legend
However these championship ones are pretty good!
Injured Again
Hall of Fame
So the Grand Prix are the third tier ball, with the Championship and ATP above it?
topspn
Legend
You may think of it that way, however the Dunlop product folks wouldn’t as it's considered a premium ball. Dunlop as well has the Fort ball for clay which is excellent. The truly low tier ball in their product line is the Champ
haqq777
Legend
Playtest Review: Dunlop ATP Ball
Alright folk, here is my final review of the Dunlop ATP Extra Duty balls. I played two sessions, roughly 5-6 hours total and balls were done by the end of second session. After the first session yesterday I left the balls in their cans and took them back out today.
Type of ball received:
Extra Duty
Court type for playtest:
Indoor (Fast)
Tennis experience/background:
I am a former Div II college player (class of 2005). I am in my mid thirties and still play with local Div II college players on a regular basis. Occasionally hit with older rec players as well.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley):
Aggressive baseliner. I don't have huge serves but I rely mostly on placement and my forehand for the 1-2 combo. One handed backhanded. Lots of heavy baseline exchanges.
Current ball preference:
Wilson US Open - Extra Duty
Comment on the bounce and feel (was it predictable/consistent? - too high or low? -too fast or slow? - too heavy or light?)
Ball bounce was on par with Wilson US Open. The feel of the ball was softer than Wilson US Open. The college player I hit with in both sessions, when asked about the ball, also agreed that it felt softer and flew through the air better for him. Bounce was very consistent for first three hours, but started suffering a little bit after that. By the end of 5 hour mark balls were gone. Bounce was considerably lower and just did not feel fresh. For pace, these balls were consistent for the first 4 hours but I noticed they slowed down, and pressure went down a bit as well (was able to squish them more with hand). Still, these balls played lighter which I liked.
Any problems with the color/visibility?
No problems at all. Played on well lit indoor courts and ball was very visible from start to finish.
Comment on the playability duration (how long did the ball stay fresh/playable? How long did the felt hold up over time?)
The ball fluffed up within the first ten minutes of hitting but fluff stayed the same way for whole two sessions (roughly 3 hour each). I always open a new can for each of my sessions but kept these 6 balls to see how long they would last. The playability started suffering at 4 hour mark as mentioned above, bounce became lower and balls became slower. Feedback started to slide towards flat/deader at the 4 hour mark too. This is roughly the same how a Wilson US Open Extra Duty behaves for me in similar hitting session scenerio. Only different thing I noticed was that fluff on these Dunlop ATP balls remained even and did not disappear unlike Wilson US Open Extra Duty which start losing felt towards the end and starts sliding more because of that too on these fast indoor courts.
Would you consider using this ball regularly?
Yes, I will consider giving these a shot. Depending on availability off course. For me, these balls just feel a bit better than Wilson US Open Extra Duty. In the end it is a matter of feel for me since playability duration is pretty much the same for both. I haven't checked how much these cost but if they are not considerably more expensive, I will not hesitate in going for a case of these.
Additional comments (optional)
Some observations below:
1. I liked the packaging and these balls came off as premium quality product from the very start.
2. I recently also played with Dunlop AO balls and these Dunlop ATP felt and played very similar to the Dunlop AO as well. The AO ball was a tiny bit faster but it could just be that I player with a flat hitter who just slaps the ball hard every time and indoor courts are fast so ball slid more. Either way, I think Dunlop has fantastic quality balls they have released recently, and I definitely am a fan.
3. Attaching some pics below to show ball fluff.
New Ball:
End of Playtest:
4. Since I played on faster indoor courts, I do have a feeling the playability might drop a bit on slower outdoor courts with grittier surface where ball will likely sit up more and slide less and big hitters will pound more taking big cuts. It will more than likely fluff up a bit more as well. But that said, I have similar experiences with other balls as well (playing indoors and outdoors both) and balls don't suddenly change their feel. So apples to apples, these will be fine outdoors as well.
Conclusion:
Overall a great playtest that I enjoyed. Will not hesitate in recommending these balls. Thank you very much @TW Staff and Dunlop for giving me this opportunity to playtest these balls. Much appreciated.
tennisgurl
Semi-Pro
Excellent review as always @haqq777Playtest Review: Dunlop ATP Ball
Alright folk, here is my final review of the Dunlop ATP Extra Duty balls. I played two sessions, roughly 5-6 hours total and balls were done by the end of second session. After the first session yesterday I left the balls in their cans and took them back out today.
Type of ball received:
Extra Duty
Court type for playtest:
Indoor (Fast)
Tennis experience/background:
I am a former Div II college player (class of 2005). I am in my mid thirties and still play with local Div II college players on a regular basis. Occasionally hit with older rec players as well.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley):
Aggressive baseliner. I don't have huge serves but I rely mostly on placement and my forehand for the 1-2 combo. One handed backhanded. Lots of heavy baseline exchanges.
Current ball preference:
Wilson US Open - Extra Duty
Comment on the bounce and feel (was it predictable/consistent? - too high or low? -too fast or slow? - too heavy or light?)
Ball bounce was on par with Wilson US Open. The feel of the ball was softer than Wilson US Open. The college player I hit with in both sessions, when asked about the ball, also agreed that it felt softer and flew through the air better for him. Bounce was very consistent for first three hours, but started suffering a little bit after that. By the end of 5 hour mark balls were gone. Bounce was considerably lower and just did not feel fresh. For pace, these balls were consistent for the first 4 hours but I noticed they slowed down, and pressure went down a bit as well (was able to squish them more with hand). Still, these balls played lighter which I liked.
Any problems with the color/visibility?
No problems at all. Played on well lit indoor courts and ball was very visible from start to finish.
Comment on the playability duration (how long did the ball stay fresh/playable? How long did the felt hold up over time?)
The ball fluffed up within the first ten minutes of hitting but fluff stayed the same way for whole two sessions (roughly 3 hour each). I always open a new can for each of my sessions but kept these 6 balls to see how long they would last. The playability started suffering at 4 hour mark as mentioned above, bounce became lower and balls became slower. Feedback started to slide towards flat/deader at the 4 hour mark too. This is roughly the same how a Wilson US Open Extra Duty behaves for me in similar hitting session scenerio. Only different thing I noticed was that fluff on these Dunlop ATP balls remained even and did not disappear unlike Wilson US Open Extra Duty which start losing felt towards the end and starts sliding more because of that too on these fast indoor courts.
Would you consider using this ball regularly?
Yes, I will consider giving these a shot. Depending on availability off course. For me, these balls just feel a bit better than Wilson US Open Extra Duty. In the end it is a matter of feel for me since playability duration is pretty much the same for both. I haven't checked how much these cost but if they are not considerably more expensive, I will not hesitate in going for a case of these.
Additional comments (optional)
Some observations below:
1. I liked the packaging and these balls came off as premium quality product from the very start.
2. I recently also played with Dunlop AO balls and these Dunlop ATP felt and played very similar to the Dunlop AO as well. The AO ball was a tiny bit faster but it could just be that I player with a flat hitter who just slaps the ball hard every time and indoor courts are fast so ball slid more. Either way, I think Dunlop has fantastic quality balls they have released recently, and I definitely am a fan.
3. Attaching some pics below to show ball fluff.
New Ball:
End of Playtest:
4. Since I played on faster indoor courts, I do have a feeling the playability might drop a bit on slower outdoor courts with grittier surface where ball will likely sit up more and slide less and big hitters will pound more taking big cuts. It will more than likely fluff up a bit more as well. But that said, I have similar experiences with other balls as well (playing indoors and outdoors both) and balls don't suddenly change their feel. So apples to apples, these will be fine outdoors as well.
Conclusion:
Overall a great playtest that I enjoyed. Will not hesitate in recommending these balls. Thank you very much @TW Staff and Dunlop for giving me this opportunity to playtest these balls. Much appreciated.
tennisgurl
Semi-Pro
Wow this playtest has had some very nice feedbacks @mogo @Injured Again @Devil_dog @topspn @haqq777 and I'm sure others will follow too. I will soon be posting mine as well but I have the same feedback as most have pointed out. These are very nice balls indeed.
