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If you’ve ever played tennis or just watched a game on TV, you’ve probably noticed that tennis balls are always yellow. But have you ever wondered why? We explain why the tennis ball is yellow.

THE ORIGINS OF TENNIS: WHITE BALLS

Tennis, as we know it today, is very different from its origins. In its early days, tennis balls were mostly white in color. These colors were chosen because of their high contrast to the color of the court, making them easier to spot during play.

THE EVOLUTION TOWARDS YELLOW

The transition to yellow was mainly driven by television. As television technology evolved and color broadcasts became the norm in the 1960s and 1970s, producers began looking for ways to improve the visibility of the game for viewers.

White tennis balls were hard to spot on color television screens. That’s where yellow came in. Testing showed that yellow, especially “optical yellow”, was more visible on TV screens. In addition, this color provided a good contrast with tennis courts, whether grass, clay or hard.

THE OFFICIAL ADOPTION OF YELLOW

In 1972, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) officially adopted yellow as the color for tennis balls in professional tournaments. This decision was made to improve ball visibility for players, stadium spectators and of course home viewers.

Since then, yellow has become the standard color for tennis balls, so much so that it’s hard to imagine a tennis ball of any other color.

WHY NOT ANOTHER COLOR?

Interestingly, although yellow is the official color, the ITF also allows the use of white balls in official tournaments. However, yellow remains the preferred color for the reasons mentioned earlier.

Other colors, such as orange or green, are often used for children’s tennis balls, as they are even more visible and appealing to young players.

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