In theory, a tennis ball is an essential, but simple piece of tennis equipment. There are different lines and makes, but you know that all of the main brands are going to be of a good enough quality.
But for something so small, at just 6.7cm, a tennis ball is often far from simple. With variations in weight, felt, pressure and rubber, no two lines of ball are ever the same.
This, of course, isn't something exclusive to tennis. The unpredictable swerve, and subsequent goalkeeping blunders, caused by the adidas Jabulani ball in the 2010 football world cub was barely off the back pages, while the swinging Tiflex cricket balls, used in the County Championship second division last season, hasn't gone down too well with some batsmen. But in tennis, a sport in which getting a good feel of ball on racket is extremely important, there is certainly a credible case for a more standardised ball.
For the casual player it's not necessarily a big deal - whatever tennis balls they can get hold of they will make the most of. But for the more serious, competitive player, the disparity from ball to ball can sometimes be a frustrating experience.
With varying degrees of aerodynamics, some balls will fly through the air while others arrive noticeably slower. With precision and timing so important, even the smallest of changes can be the difference between a ball landing perfectly on the line, and flying several feet beyond the baseline. Different weights of ball can have an impact on the speed through the court, while two balls with an identical bounce is not a common sight. Even the ATP and WTA will use different balls depending on sponsors, so imagine the mix and match present on the club scene.
The major disadvantage is that it's hard for tennis players to have any continuity and consistency. But you could also argue that this is the main plus point. Playing with different balls can, potentially, give a player more experience in different conditions and situations. A big part of tennis is being able to thing, adjust and adapt, so surely there's an equally strong argument for actively trying to practice with a wide range of tennis balls in order to prepare yourself for the challenges a competitive tennis match throws up at you.
With the increasing popularity of pressureless balls for training, and the colour coded 1-2-3 balls for young juniors, the variety is, if anything, continuing to increase. Both sides have a solid argument, but no matter what you're opinion, if you're a serious tennis player then it's time to start getting used to the quirks of different balls - because they're not going away anytime soon!
