I am sure you have noticed that there are regularly duty tennis balls and extra duty tennis balls. Have you wondered what’ the differences are between the two kinds of balls?

Difference between extra duty and regular duty tennis balls

Extra Duty

Extra Duty balls are made for hard courts and grass courts. Extra duty balls have a thick felt that is woven loosely around the core. This is done to prevent the balls from shearing on abrasive courts. While the thick felt certainly improves the longevity of these balls, they are slower compared to the regular duty balls.

Regular Duty Balls

Regular Duty balls are made for clay courts and indoor courts. These balls tend to fluff up as they pick up moisture and dir on the court. They have a thin felt that is woven tightly around the core to minimize fluffing.  These balls play faster compared to extra duty balls but don’t last as long.

Bottom Line

Whether you need regular duty balls or extra duty balls depends on whether you are playing on an abrasive hard court or a soft clay or indoor courts. Get regular duty balls for clay and indoor courts, and extra-duty balls for hard and grass courts.