Finding a perfect tennis ball is not that difficult as we are having sufficient number of options to choose from the leading brands such as HEAD, Dunlop, and many more. All these brands manufacture different type of Tennis Balls for speed, bounce, and durability.

As you know tennis is a game which is played on different surfaces like Clay Court, Hard Court and Grass Court. And the choice of the tennis ball really depends upon the court you are going to play.

Here we will discuss about the tennis balls which are best for playing in CLAY Courts. These courts are quite “Slower” as compare to other courts which restrict the player from playing some good fast shots.

That is why there are few special tennis balls (listed below) which are made specifically for clay courts –

Dunlop ATP Regular Duty
Babolat French Open Regular Duty
Wilson U.S Open Regular Duty

Now without any delay, lets dig in and find why these 3 are best clay court tennis balls –

1. Dunlop ATP Regular Duty

Dunlop ATP Regular Duty Tennis Balls are the special line of balls which are built to play on clay courts. Keeping in my mind the love for clay courts in players, Dunlop (the renowned name in the tennis market for their tennis balls) come up with this product.

It performs very well on the ground and serves better at the same time. Some players think it is little smaller and lighter during their playtime, but it has to do with its tight felt and play-ability. Some players at the same time believe it’s too small in the court.

With these unique features, Dunlop Tennis Balls are more accurate and move quickly on the court.

Pros:

Excellent durability
More Powerful
Better Control

Cons:

Too small for some players.

2. Babolat French Open Regular Duty

One of the most important clay court tennis tournaments that happen in the world is the French Open. Its official tennis ball is manufactured by Babolat. It is very popular in the market despite its non-availability in certain parts of the world.

These balls stay fresh even after hours of play. They will maintain their bounce even if they look very fuzzy or bad. Its play level will not be affected even if it is used harshly on the court. Hence, they are known as liveliest ball in the expensive market.

If we see its negativity, we will see it getting dirty very easily. It’s not a big issue as players are not going to play for longer hours but sometimes it is considered being a very negative impact as they won’t find the best lighting of the ball.

Another problem that can be faced mainly with casual players as Babolat Tennis Balls are more expensive as compared to the other branded options. As its French-based company, it’s difficult to find even in the states and if you are getting in certain parts of the world they are not that affordable as compare to other branded balls.

Some players don’t mind the high pricing, as they want to play with the ball, officially partnered with the French Open. The brand that is meant for making balls for clay court.

Pros:

Official ball of French Open.
Live longer on clay courts.

Cons:

Expensive as Compare to other brands.
Look dirty after few hours of play.

3. Wilson U.S Open Regular Duty

Wilson tennis balls are mainly used for hard courts but it doesn’t mean that these will not work well on clay courts. Wilson tennis balls are tagged with US Open even though their regular duty is great for clay court players.

It uses Tex tech felt which is the latest technology used by the company. This will give more flexibility and durability to the players. It meant for hard court but tailored for the clay court at the same time.

It feels great out of the can, but some players get frustrated when it loses bounce ability in the clay courts. Some players believe that it gets very slow as it collects dirt, moisture, and even sweat.

Another major concern is its visibility. It is seen that these balls get darker after certain extended games. If the court is already short of visibility then it is not best to opt for.

Despite having minor negative points, lots of people love playing this ball on the hard court and it goes the same on the clay court also.

Pros:

Great control and speed once out of the can
Official ball of US Open
Affordable pricing

Cons:

Become fuzzy too early.
Loses visibility after extended play.

So, you must be thinking about why we need special balls for clay courts?

All tennis balls when purchased from a shop or e-retailer look the same. It might look that one doesn’t need to buy a specific ball for certain surfaces. In the end, how much difference can one surface make over others?

While in general, clay court balls can be used for hard court and vice-versa but it is highly recommended that one should go with clay court balls whenever possible. This is because the clay court balls are made from a higher content of woollen stuff.

Regular duty balls are known as clay court balls. These category balls are not meant for fluffing up easily. This allows the ball to move faster in the court and even in the air. In case the ball is fluffing up, it will gradually collect more clay, dust, and moisture thus slowing down the ball and making an increase in the aging of ball.

Most of the well-known brands make tennis balls for different surfaces. A lot of people just buy it and get disappointed as it will be hit by rackets a few times. They didn’t get appropriate results as per their requirements. Packing may be given different subtitles in the listing so make proper research before buying a specific tennis ball.

A final thought on Clay Court Balls

Finding clay court balls can be difficult in some stores but can easily be purchased online or from e-retailer. Keep in mind a new can of balls should never be opened until it’s ready for use. As soon as they are open in the air, they start losing play-ability. Try to keep them live in the can as possible.