Latest Posts

A Tennis Life: Stories from a Lifetime of Growing the Game The Code, Principle 18: When Can You Call a Let for a Stray Ball? Inflatable Penguins: My New Favorite Tennis Training Targets Tennis Beyond the Headlines: October 19, 2026 Craig Tiley, the USTA, and the Future of Senior Tennis An Offer Refused: Tennis Australia’s Senior Tennis Proposal Craig Tiley and Senior Tennis: Lessons from Australia

A Heavy-Duty Story About Tennis Balls

Yesterday I wrote about how the USTA foists regular duty tennis balls on female tournament players. The next obvious question is when and why the policy started in the first place. It is a sordid tale of how tennis is a victim of the forces of technology and marketing. It is also a testament that complaining about the balls is an indelible part of the culture of tennis.