Tennis balls, made by competing manufacturers, are far from identical and with tournaments free to sign their own contracts, players are forced to chop and change throughout the season.

Daniil Medvedev recently opened up about competing on slow tennis courts with slower balls following his first-round victory at the 2023 Erste Bank Open. Your login session has expired.

The balls’ properties are so crucial to the game that over 200 tennis ball brands are tested by the ITF each year, so now you know players aren’t just buying time before making that first serve.