LAWN TENNIS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 28, 3 February 1938, Page 4

LAWN TENNIS

(THAT BALL QUESTION AGAIN (By A. N. Campbell.) The standard of club tennis in this city has fallen a great deal and it is hard to account lor it. 1 personally think that the fact that players use light balls is partly accountable lor bad play, for it is impossible to control a ball once it has lost its weight. 1 Last week-end 1 made a careful study of the weight of tennis balls, which revealed some rather startling facts. The rule states that the ball shall not weigh less than 2oz. nor more than 2 l-16oz. (2oz. 274 grains). 1 had weighed a first-grade bal. and it scaled 2oz. 32 grains or 4 ■ grains overweight. The second-grade ball weighed 2oz. 17 grains and this is a ball which is used in every Wanganui Club. 1 played with these balls on the Wanganui courts and 1 found the following:— First-grade Ball. - New, 2oz. “32 grains; after two sets, 2oz. 284 grains; after six sets, 2oz. 20 grains. Second-grade Ball. New, 2oz. li grains; after two sets, 2oz. 2 grains; after six sets, loz. 396 grains. As one ounce equals 4374 grains it can be seen that the first-grade ball after six sets was still well within the defined weight, while the secondgrade ball was 414 grains underweight. 1 have before me a pair of the second-grade balls as used by the average club player for one week during wnich time they were probably used for at least 20 sets. One of these weighed loz. 354 grains or 834 grains less than allowed. In view of these figures how is it possible for a player to control the ball and yet hit il hard? The effect on the player is to hit the ball with a lifting motion and endeavour to loop it so as to keep it in court; thus his or her tennis is being ruined. 1 think that players under these circumstances would find it more beneficial for their tennis to pay 3s 6d for a pair of first-grade balls than 2s 6a per pair for second grade. The longer life and weight more than pays lor the extra Is.