Tennis ball

A hollow rubber ball, usually pressurized and covered in felt, designed to bounce predictably and withstand repeated impacts during tennis.

Rubber: An elastic polymer material that can deform under force and recover its shape. The rubber shell deforms on impact and helps the ball rebound.
Magnus effect: A force on a spinning object moving through a fluid, caused by differences in flow around it. Felt and rotation influence airflow, helping curve a struck tennis ball.
Hard court: A tennis playing surface made from rigid materials such as asphalt or concrete with an applied coating. Its relatively firm surface produces a different bounce and wear pattern than clay or grass.
Real tennis: A historic indoor racket sport from which modern lawn tennis developed. Its earlier ball and playing traditions predate the modern tennis ball.
Squash ball: A small hollow rubber ball used in squash, designed to warm up and become more resilient during play. Unlike a tennis ball, it is uncovered and has a much lower rebound when cold.
Felt: A dense fabric made by matting fibers together rather than weaving them. The ball’s fuzzy textile cover is commonly made from wool blended with synthetic fibers.
Aerodynamics: The study of how gases flow around objects and exert forces on them. Air resistance and lift shape the ball’s trajectory after a stroke.
Clay court: A tennis court surfaced with crushed mineral material, commonly clay or brick dust. Its slower, higher-bouncing play places distinct demands on ball performance.
Lawn tennis: The outdoor racket sport developed in nineteenth-century Britain and now commonly called tennis. The modern ball took shape as lawn tennis became an organized sport.
Table tennis ball: A lightweight hollow plastic ball used in table tennis. Its thin shell and low mass suit table play, not tennis-court impacts.

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