Why is there Fuzz on a Tennis Ball?

If you are familiar with the concept of Tennis, you might wonder why is there fuzz on a tennis ball? Is it just for aesthetic purposes or is there any scientific factor related to it? To answer these questions, let’s study why exactly is this fuzzy fabric integrated onto a tennis ball.

Purpose of Fuzz on Tennis Ball

Performance

Not just the size of tennis ball, but the fuzz or felt on the surface of the ball effectively changes the velocity and various forces acting onto it. Which is why, the speed and flight of ball is greatly affected. If you compare two same sized balls, one with fluffed up fabric and other with worn-out fuzz, you will see a huge amount of difference between their Aerodynamic drag.

Fuzzy Fabric

If you look closely the fabric on tennis ball is rough and not extremely smooth or soft. As the ball is shot through racket, it travels and air flows through the tiny raised filaments termed as fuzz. The fuzz is what allows the ball to travel farther away by precisely controlling its speed. Moreover, players can have enhanced control over the tennis ball. Whenever the tennis ball with fuzz hits the racket, it works as a grip and hence, players gain more control over the ball.

Not just that, but fuzz also helps to control the tennis ball’s flight. At higher speeds, this fuzz is what gives the slight amount of resistance to help slow down its speed. Plus, it also provides a lot of surface for effective spin.

Source: https://www.spyn.co

Apart from its performance factor, the felt on the tennis ball also affects the durability.

Durability

A ball without any fuzz (regular rubber balls) might not survive as greatly as the ones that have a fair amount of fuzz do. Hard courts tend to be very rough on tennis balls of any type. The fuzz on the ball will enhance the durability so as to serve you better with time.

Conclusion

Now you know why is there fuzz on a tennis ball. It is not just for enhancing its aesthetics, but has a solid scientific reason behind it. For more detailed info regarding Tennis balls, make sure to read this all-inclusive article about Top 5 Best Tennis Ball on the Market that thoroughly explains profound reviews and complete buying guide for Tennis balls. Here, you will be getting to learn all of the interesting facts, features and performance factors related to tennis balls.