Tennis ball
A hollow rubber ball covered in felt used in tennis and related racquet sports.
Overview
A tennis ball is a hollow rubber core covered in a fuzzy felt cloth. The felt affects how the ball moves through the air and grips the strings, while the pressurised core gives it a lively, consistent bounce.
The same style of felt-covered ball is used across several racquet sports, and balls gradually lose bounce as the internal pressure escapes with use.
Good to know
- The felt cover influences flight and grip on the strings.
- Pressurised balls slowly lose bounce over time.
- A bright colour helps visibility on court.
Where it’s used
Sports that use tennis ball:
Tennis
A singles or doubles racquet sport that blends agility, strategy and stamina on court.
POP Tennis
A friendly, easy-to-learn racquet sport on a smaller court with solid paddles and a lower net.
Beach Tennis
A sociable sand-court paddle sport played with solid paddles and a soft ball that is volleyed without a bounce.
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Follow the threads that connect Tennis ball to the rest of SocialSportHub.
Playing surfaces
- Hard courtA rigid acrylic, concrete or asphalt court that gives a true, consistent, medium-paced bounce — the standard multi-use outdoor surface.
- ClayA soft, granular racquet-sport surface of crushed brick, stone or shale that slows the ball, gives a high bounce and lets players slide into shots.
- Artificial turfSynthetic grass, often filled with sand or rubber, that gives a firm, even, all-weather surface. It plays faster and truer than worn natural grass.
Techniques
- Topspin ForehandA forehand groundstroke hit with a low-to-high swing that puts forward spin on the ball so it dips and kicks up on landing.
- One-Handed BackhandA backhand groundstroke struck with a single hand on the grip, driving through the ball with a full extension of the hitting arm.
- Tennis ServeThe overhead stroke that starts every point, hit from behind the baseline into the diagonally opposite service box.
- VolleyA shot played near the net by blocking the ball out of the air before it bounces, using a short, firm punch rather than a full swing.
- HeaderA technique for controlling or striking the ball with the forehead in football, used to pass, shoot or clear the ball in the air.
Learning paths
Beginner guides
- Your First Tennis Session: What to ExpectA friendly, honest look at what actually happens at your first tennis session — how it is usually run, what tends to surprise beginners, and how to turn up relaxed and ready to enjoy it.
- Your first basketball sessionA first basketball session is a friendly, fast-moving introduction to handling the ball, moving your feet and sharing simple play with others — no experience or prior skill needed.
Skills
- ServingThe skill of putting the ball or shuttle into play to start a point or rally.
- Net playThe skill of controlling points close to the net with volleys and touch shots.
- Ball controlThe skill of receiving and settling the ball quickly so it is ready to use.
- ThrowingThe skill of propelling the ball accurately and with control using the arm.
- HeadingThe skill of directing the ball with the head to pass, clear or attempt to score.
Rules
- Foot faultA serving fault called when the server's foot touches the baseline or court before striking the ball.
- LetA call that stops a point and has it replayed without penalty, used across several racket sports.
- TravelingA basketball violation for moving illegally with the ball without dribbling it.
- Double dribbleA basketball violation for dribbling with two hands at once, or for dribbling again after picking up the ball.
- GoaltendingA basketball violation for interfering with a shot while the ball is on its downward path to the basket or above the rim.