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Pressureless is a Privilege

On By Teresa Merklin

Each Wednesday this site examines, dissects, and generally overthinks the rules of tennis. Currently we are examining the specifications for the different types of balls that are approved by the ITF for sanctioned competition. Last week I stumbled across an article on the USTA Colorado website that provided a tidbit of information that had eluded me in previous analysis. Pressureless tennis balls are recommended for play at high altitude. In fact, pressureless balls have previously been used by ATP tournaments played in Mexico City. I was astonished to learn that fact.

A Type 3 Tennis Ball Mystery for When You’re High

On By Teresa Merklin

As we were exploring the four types of balls approved for sanctioned tennis competition last week, I stumbled across a YouTube video containing screen shots from the 2012 version of the “ITF Guide to Products and Test Methods.” One of the pages depicted in that video illustrated notional bounce paths for three of the four types of approved tennis balls. That image also contained a note that the Type 3 tennis ball is also permitted and recommended for play at High Altitude. It is a complete mystery why the ITF would make that recommendation.

ITF Ball Types

On By Teresa Merklin

Type 1 and Type 3 tennis balls were officially codified in 2002. Approval for the new ball types actually came at the 2001 ITF annual meeting which was held in Cancun, Mexico. From this I came to the obvious conclusion that tequila was heavily involved in the decision. Currently there are exactly two ITF approved Type 1 balls and zero Type 3 balls.

What Color are Your Balls?

On By Teresa Merklin

You can probably win a bar bet armed with the knowledge of how many types of tennis balls are approved for adult sanctioned play by the ITF. The correct answer is 4: Type 1 (Fast), Type 2 (Medium), Type 3 (Slow), and High Altitude. Appendix I of the ITF Rules of Tennis contains a table with the conformance requirements for weight, size, rebound, and deformation for each ball type. Today we are focusing on the conformance requirement for “colour.”

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Real Tennis Balls

On By Teresa Merklin

The specification for the tennis ball are codified in Appendix I of the ITF Rules of Tennis. It is probably way more detail and information than most players need or care to know. What I first took to be a subtle anachronism describing the construction of the tennis ball led me to the stunning realization that the sport we call tennis is not real tennis. Additionally, we don’t play tennis with real tennis balls.

The Tennis Ball and the Metric System

On By Teresa Merklin

This week we are moving into the Appendices of the “ITF Rules of Tennis”. It is tempting to celebrate the milestone, but we still have a long way to go. The main body of the rules concludes on page 19 as published in the USTA’s “Friend at Court.” The appendices run through page 36. The first topic on the docket as we continue to march through the rules is Appendix I, “The Ball.”

USTA Comments on USTA Comments

On By Teresa Merklin

This week we have stumbled onto what may be the most meta part of the USTA Friend at Court handbook. In essence, the USTA Comment against the “Amendment of the Rules of Tennis” section in the ITF Rules of Tennis, explains why the USTA makes comments rather than modifications to the rules.

How to Change the Rules of Tennis

On By Teresa Merklin

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) has stewardship over the Rules of Tennis. There is a process for changing the rules and updates are made on a fairly regular basis. Did you know that until 1961 the player delivering the service had to keep one foot on the ground? The elimination of that requirement was a rule change that materially changed the play of the game. Sometimes updates to the rules emerge from technology advancements. The entire Player Analysis Technology is full of examples of recently added rules and restrictions.

Closing Out Wheelchair Tennis

On By Teresa Merklin

Where a wheelchair tennis player is playing with or against an able-bodied person in singles or doubles, the Rules of Wheelchair Tennis shall apply for the wheelchair player while the Rules of Tennis for able-bodied tennis shall apply for the able-bodied player. In this instance, the wheelchair player is allowed two bounces while the able-bodied player is allowed only one bounce.

Wheelchair Tennis: Foot Propulsion

On By Teresa Merklin

This is the penultimate post on the rules of wheelchair tennis. Today we are discussing the fact that if a player is unable to propel the wheelchair via the pushrrim, then it is permissible to use one foot to move the chair around the court. This cannot possibly be more efficient than pushrim propulsion. That is probably why it is generally allowed.