Two Cans Of Balls
- Thread starter Raul_SJ
- Start date
S&V-not_dead_yet
G.O.A.T.
I never saw anyone do this, even just after they re-opened the courts last May.
If a ball comes onto my court, I will send it back without touching it, more out of respect to the other player than fear I'm going to contract CV.
Raul_SJ
G.O.A.T.
At many clubs, separate balls were and are still officially required. During the early days , the USTA was recommending separate balls, but apparently those guidelines have been dropped.
Shaking hands is still strictly prohibited but it is still not clear why handling the same balls for two hours is any safer than shaking hands.
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SinneGOAT
Hall of Fame
Dunlop makes a 4 ball can, meaning for tournaments each player gets 2 balls, however cause it’s the same number on the balls they get mixed up almost immediately. I wouldn’t mind shaking hands, but like I said in another thread, easy excuse for not having to shake the hands of an annoying opponent.
S&V-not_dead_yet
G.O.A.T.
The signs at the courts still mention the separate cans but again, I've never seen anyone follow that.
Ever see a slow-mo of someone hitting a ball: there's a mini-explosion of fuzz at contact. If there are virus particles on the ball, they're going in your face. So unless the opponent never touches your 3 and vice versa, I don't see much point of the rule.
Maybe there should be a rule that you simply can't touch the ball. To serve toss, you must do a soccer pick up and then kick the ball into the air [because bouncing the ball into the air and then hitting it is illegal, I believe].
Raul_SJ
G.O.A.T.
Never heard of that. So each player gets to keep two balls from the match.
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Raul_SJ
G.O.A.T.
Has there been any data collected over the last year that virus cannot survive and transmit from the ball?
Tennis has natural 60 plus feet distancing but as you point out that is meaningless when handling the balls. Constantly see people wiping their nose and touching the ball and then tossing ball to the opponent.
SinneGOAT
Hall of Fame
I don’t know much of Dunlop’s product history but it is definitely smart to make a 4 ball can in this time. Btw I meant each player is given 2 balls from the 4 ball can that they keep.
Raul_SJ
G.O.A.T.
Well, we need to get clear guidance on this issue. Either we have rules that players follow or we don't. Players routinely ignoring the two can rules undermines the credibility and authority of the county health officials .
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S&V-not_dead_yet
G.O.A.T.
I remember it was a hot topic early in the pandemic. From what I remember reading, the virus can definitely survive outside the body for days and it's light enough to become airborne. So if I was super-concerned, I wouldn't even play tennis.
Raul_SJ
G.O.A.T.
Did not know that. The winner should just keep the three balls.
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Raul_SJ
G.O.A.T.
Think you are saying that it can survive on a tennis ball. If that is the case, it is not a case of being overly concerned. It is a legitimate concern.
OTOH, don't think we've had many cases traced to the tennis court, i.e. some infected player maintaining distance but still spreading it to his hitting partners via shared balls... But it is not clear how much data has been collected on this issue.
SinneGOAT
Hall of Fame
This was at one tournament however, the others have just been two cans majority of the time or one can and the players share. I definitely keep them, why let fresh balls go to waste?
tennis tom
Legend
Four ball cans are the norm in much of the world, have even found 4-ball Penns on rare occasion in the USA--nothing to do with the wuwu19. You can find 4-ball cans here at TW, they have a Wilson Roger Fed special edition in a steel sleeve with a special note from RFed enclosed. With four balls the game goes 25% faster and if a ball goes over the fence you still have three left, better for the warm-up in dubs too. You can find them here and at Big Fives.
S&V-not_dead_yet
G.O.A.T.
I think it can survive. However, one must prioritize one's concerns. Catching CV from a tennis ball is fairly low on my list.
Like I wrote earlier: if I was that concerned, I wouldn't even play tennis. YMMV.
Anecdotally, I've heard of zero cases of spread via tennis.
Dartagnan64
G.O.A.T.
no one uses their own balls where I play. The mere act of hitting the ball likely gets rid of any potential virus on it. fomite transmission is minimal with COVID so I’m not concerned. I do wash my hands after play.
Injured Again
Hall of Fame
As far as I know, there has not been one case of a verified transmission via a tennis ball. I suppose it could be possible if someone with a heavy viral load sneezed and drooled on a ball, then hit it directly to you where you then rubbed the ball all over with your fingertip, then shoved that finger up your nose as far as it could go. But who would do that.
I have only played with separate balls with one person who is immuno-compromised, and that was early on when it wasn't clear yet that it is transmitted via aerosols and not through surface contamination.
I have only played with separate balls with one person who is immuno-compromised, and that was early on when it wasn't clear yet that it is transmitted via aerosols and not through surface contamination.
S&V-not_dead_yet
G.O.A.T.
33%
SinneGOAT
Hall of Fame
Especially with the heavy topspin, wipes away any particles, no?
Raul_SJ
G.O.A.T.
What if the ball is not struck. Infected opponent picks up the ball, contaminates the ball, and then leaves it for you to collect... Does not seem much different than shaking hands.
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Raul_SJ
G.O.A.T.
Put it this way: Many people get hysterical when players inadvertantly shake hands or fist bump for a second from several feet apart but do not bat an eye at the fact that these players were handling the same balls for two hours... Both are about equally safe (or unsafe) depending on your views.
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Raul_SJ
G.O.A.T.
What is the reason for shutting off the water fountain if surfaces are very low risk?
Injured Again
Hall of Fame
Early on, it wasn't known yet that contact/surface transmission is not the primary way the virus is spread so many things which had touch surfaces were eliminated. As it became known that aerosols were the primary danger, these restrictions should have been relaxed, except that the depth of the pandemic and the manner in which touch surfaces were deeply cleaned has become so ingrained now that it's hard to get people to accept NOT constantly cleaning surfaces.
J011yroger
Talk Tennis Guru
Tennis players are so cheap I'd say more than half the time they won't open a new can regardless, they would literally rather die than open 2.
J
J
SinneGOAT
Hall of Fame
The rules make no sense whatsoever. It’s just bureaucrats and lawyers making up nonsensical rules that have no rhyme or reason.
Purestriker
New User
Yes, the CDC just updated guidelines saying surface transmission was not an issue (aerosol is the issue).
I remember the first time I saw someone opening the court fence gate with their racket. I though, boy, how silly you're going to feel in a month or two.
It has taken some time, though.
happyandbob
Professional
Yes. It was already known the surface to human transmission was exceedingly rare. CDC now says risk of COVID infection from surfaces is 1 in 10,000.
Covid-19 Live Updates: Infection Risk From Surfaces Remains Low, C.D.C. Acknowledges
A sharp rise in new virus cases in the Upper ******* comes as health officials say that a fourth surge could hit the United States despite the national vaccination campaign.
CDC says risk of COVID-19 transmission on surfaces 1 in 10,000
The risk of getting a COVID-19 infection from contaminated surfaces is extremely low, according to
HitMoreBHs
Semi-Pro
Covid couldn’t survive on them brown balls they use anyway. There’s no place left for any more bugs to get on. “Three Stooges Syndrome” is real.
Raul_SJ
G.O.A.T.
Outrageous fear-mongering for over a year. Unbelievable.Yes. It was already known the surface to human transmission was exceedingly rare. CDC now says risk of COVID infection from surfaces is 1 in 10,000.
CDC says risk of COVID-19 transmission on surfaces 1 in 10,000
The risk of getting a COVID-19 infection from contaminated surfaces is extremely low, according tothehill.com
The CDC guidance, coming more than a year into the pandemic, is the strongest argument yet against what some critics have dubbed "hygiene theater."
Despite the fact that scientists at the CDC have been fairly certain since at least last spring that transmission is almost entirely through airborne particles, establishments have continued to insist on strict sanitization protocols, like constantly wiping down shared surfaces with disinfectant, and closing schools and subways for "deep cleaning."
According to the CDC, cleaning surfaces using soap or detergent, and not disinfecting, is enough to reduce risk in most situations.
Raul_SJ
G.O.A.T.
What about those people that refused to open packages unless it had been sitting outside for days. That was all unnecessary.
Raul_SJ
G.O.A.T.
A woman was playing doubles with one can of balls with three players she had just met that day. A ball rolled onto my court and I picked it up. She screamed at me, "No! Not with your hands!"... The next time it rolled on, I did the same thing (out of habit) but she said nothing, so maybe I am now part of her safe circle.
Dartagnan64
G.O.A.T.
If someone throws me a ball, I knock it down with my racket, bounce it a couple times before grabbing it.
Hand to ball to hand doesn't happen to me and it's still better than hand to hand. No middle man in the latter situation.
In the end, we'd have been all so much better off if businesses had focused on ventilation rather than deep cleaning. It would have been far cheaper in the end and we'd have buildings ready for the next respiratory plague.
Raul_SJ
G.O.A.T.
If surfaces are low risk, what is the reason for shutting down the water fountains?
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That was at the very beginning of reopening. We had those rules in our club. They were relaxed after a week.
It saves money for the club
We had a guy who owned a company which supplied those huge containers. We now no longer have that expense.
Raul_SJ
G.O.A.T.
The water fountains at the public park are shut off. Why?It saves money for the club
We had a guy who owned a company which supplied those huge containers. We now no longer have that expense.
PURETENNISsense
Rookie
I like tobuse 2 cans of balls for matchplay (with friends)..... bound to always loose one. Plus it makes so much more sense to warmup with 6 balls than have to chase after 3 constantly.
For Covid, makes sense to use 2 cans.... didn't see much of it happening last year though to be honest.
For Covid, makes sense to use 2 cans.... didn't see much of it happening last year though to be honest.
Dartagnan64
G.O.A.T.
Freq contact surfaces increase the risk substantially. If one person has touched something there's a low risk. If 500 have touched it, that 1/10000 risk climbs to 500 to 1/200.
With tennis balls, usually not more than 4 people have touched them and they've been batted around enough to shake particles off.
And a water fountain is exposed much more to oral and nasal secretions.
Raul_SJ
G.O.A.T.
Safeway was wiping down the shopping cart handles for months but that has now apparently stopped. Just visited Safeway and did not see the "sanitized carts here" sign. Maybe this is a result of the recent CDC announcement that surface transmission is very low risk.
It’s all kabuki theater
Ronaldo
Bionic Poster
At the Y yesterday noticed the water fountains are still disabled. However indoor basketball, volleyball, and swimming are still happening. Weight room closed.
Ronaldo
Bionic Poster
A little strange, eh?
Ronaldo
Bionic Poster
When I heard of the rules, I opted out. Maybe next lifetime
happyandbob
Professional
Honestly, I don't understand what the objection is. There were rules put into place when we knew very little about the virus and what makes it spread. Now that we know more, those rules can change. It takes time for new research to disseminate into public awareness -- partly because it takes so long for entrenched wrong information to leave public awareness (e.g. vaccines being dangerous, GMOs being dangerous, organic food being healthier, nuclear power being dangerous).
Using separate balls or wearing masks is NOT a hardship considering it is a global frigging pandemic!
Using separate balls or wearing masks is NOT a hardship considering it is a global frigging pandemic!