If you are on the way to the store and you want to buy some tennis balls for your training or your match you might find the word “Extra duty” on the label. What does it mean? Extra duty vs Regular Duty Tennis Balls, what are their differences?
It is the type of tennis ball and it’s important for you to know on which surface you will have your match and adapt your choice in relation to that.
- Clay court:
If the match takes place on a clay court your choice will go to the regular tennis balls, so don’t take the ones labelled Extra duty tennis balls
- Indoor/ Hardcourt
This is the case when the match is going to be on a hard court the extra duty ball is the suitable choice as it will be stronger and won’t be ruined soon.
In this article, we will explain Extra duty vs Regular duty tennis balls and give you the best balls in the market from each category:
What do regular duty tennis balls mean?
The regular-duty tennis ball is the one you use most of the time when playing on clay or grass. The reason is simple the clay may enter under the felt and ruin the ball. The most modern tennis balls have a thinner felt woven tightly which prevents the phenomenon of ‘’puff up’’, avoiding the damage to the ball over time.
What does extra duty ball mean?
The extra duty ball is the hardest of the balls, the one you will use in hardcourt training normally, not on clay courts. They are less likely to fluff, so more durable than the regular balls.
Extra duty vs Regular Duty Tennis Balls , The Differences?
The main difference between the extra duty and the regular duty balls is the surface on which they were created. While you can use both for either court, they might have irregular bounces in the court due to the faster abrasion.
The clay also is an element to be considered as it can enter the ball surface and cause damage, which will make your tennis shots not reliable.
Normally using an extra duty ball means you are playing on a hard court where the extra layer of woven is helpful to avoid further damage to the ball in the long term.
Using an extra duty ball in the clay will create issues with the bounce while using a regular ball in the hardcourt will deteriorate the nature of the ball in the mid-term.
Can you use regular balls on hardcourt?
The short answer is yes, you can use regular balls on hardcourt, however, this will lead to faster damage, with the need of buying a new ball soon.
How long do extra duty tennis balls last?
Normally the lasting of an extra duty tennis ball depends on the level of the players. For beginners, to intermediate level, the extra duty tennis ball would last around 1-3 weeks while the professional players have a different amount of time.
For them, a ball can last a maximum of 1-3 hours, and then they will need to change them as the pressure of the ball drops off.
Best extra duty tennis balls
In the market, the most sought extra duty tennis balls are the following at the moment;
- Approved by USTA and ITF for competitive play
- Official Ball of the US Open
- Made with premium woven felt
- Extra Duty: Ideal performance on hard, abrasive courts
- Can includes 3 balls
Best regular duty tennis balls
The best regular duty tennis balls are the following;
- US Open Regular Duty Ball Case
- Must ship to school address or country club Only
- Make sure this fits; by entering your model number
- Size - (See Description)_____Color - (See Description)
Extra duty vs Regular Duty Tennis Balls Summary
Right now, we have discussed about all the differences between Extra duty vs Regular duty tennis balls, you are ready to buy the next set of tennis balls.
Using the right tennis ball for the right surface is important. If you play on clay, use the regular duty tennis balls while if you play on hardcourts the most suitable choice to avoid any problem is to use the extra duty tennis balls.
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