Every player experienced that at least once. You are in a hurry to be on the tennis court at the time and when you finally reach it, you find out your tennis balls are flat. Not absolutely flat, but flat enough to destroy your match. I always try to keep at least one can of new tennis balls in my tennis bag. Just for a case. But there is a long lasting discussion among tennis recreational players if there is a way to keep your tennis balls fresh for a long time. Tennis Ball Saver or Tennis Ball Pressurizer is usually the answer. But does it really work? Is a buying of Tennis Ball Saver good idea or just money thrown out of the window? Here I try to answer these questions.
Why tennis balls wear out after some time?
Tennis balls are usually pressurized to 12 psi (pounds per square inch) more than normal air pressure. Normal air pressure around us is 14.7 psi, therefore pressure inside tennis balls is 26.7 psi. Tennis balls are sold in pressure cans, where the pressure is the same as the pressure inside of tennis ball. Therefore when you open a can with new tennis balls you hear the hiss as the air leaves the can.
Pressure can help to keep balls inside the can fresh for a long time. The reason is that the pressure inside tennis ball and the pressure from outside is the same.
As soon as you open the can and start using the tennis ball, it will slowly wear out and become flat. The reason is that pressure inside the ball is higher than a normal air pressure around you and it starts to balance. Tennis balls are made from rubber which let some pressure to leave from inside of the ball.
Check our definitive guide for the best tennis balls
How long does it take for the tennis ball to become flat?
It depends on how hard you hit the balls and in what altitude above the sea level you play (and the air pressure around). With higher altitude the air pressure is lower, therefore your tennis balls will bounce higher and wear out faster. Hard hitting players also wear out tennis balls much faster.
Tennis Balls are changed every 7 games in professional tennis matches to avoid playing with flat tennis balls. However, in recreational tennis, you usually play with the same balls at least a few sets.
Tennis Ball Saver (Pressurizer) – how does it work?
What to do if you want to keep your balls fresh? There is a tool called Tennis Ball Saver (pressurizer). It is a can where you put your tennis balls (usually three) and cover it with a lid. After twisting the lid you increase the pressure inside the can. Higher pressure in the can means that the leak of pressure (air) from tennis balls is lower than if you let your ball outside in “normal” air pressure.
Tennis Ball Saver will not remake your used tennis balls to a new one. But it can slow the process of flatting out. Therefore tennis balls kept in Ball Saver should be worn out later than balls kept in a tennis bag.
How much does it cost and what types of Tennis Ball Savers are available?
You can find three similar tennis ball savers on Amazon from different manufacturers. All are set for three tennis balls and prices are ranging from $12 to $25 usually.
Tourna Restore Tennis Ball Pressurizer | Gamma Revive Tennis Ball Pressurizer | Gexco Tennis Ball Saver |
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Tennis Ball Saver – Good Idea or Not?
Now you probably expect some strong recommendation. To buy Tennis Ball Saver or not? I have to disappoint you, I do not have a strong opinion on it. On one hand, the cost of tennis ball saver is not high, so it is definitely worth a try. On another hand, you have to keep in mind, that no tennis ball saver will make from your old tennis ball a new one. It will help to keep them fresh longer and slow the process of flatting out.
I would always prefer new tennis balls ahead of used ones. And less used ones ahead of more used tennis balls. Tennis Balls from Tennis Ball Saver ranked somewhere behind new and before longer used tennis balls.
Now it is your turn. Give me your opinion or share your experience with tennis ball savers.
Hi Simon ,I manufacture PressureBall tennis tubes which use a bike pump to increase the pressure, so unlike the canisters which you have already mentioned only slow down the rate at which balls go flat , Pressureball will bring balls back to the correct pressure .In fact you can actually over pressurize the balls so that they have too much bounce if you so wish .
Hi Barry, thanks for the interesting remark.
No thanks, I won’t buy a PressureBall. Why? I use one new can per week with a ball pressurizer – they work, except that, after one week, a ball’s felt is too chewed-up to create decent spin. Missing felt also impacts a ball’s flight compared to a new fuzzy ball with a full level of felt to it.
I’ve been using tennis ball savers for years. They work!I play about 5 times a week 60 to 120 minutes a session, using one can of tennis balls with extra duty (a.k.a. Heavy duty felt). Usually the pressure lasts for a week, but, given my heavy topspin groundstrokes, the ball’s felt covering gets too chewed-up to generate spin.
Although PressureBall tennis tubes are a viable alternative to pressurize used tennis balls, the problem is that they don’t address the problem of decaying tennis ball felt coverings. So, PressureBall only potentially addresses one problem with used tennis balls – maintaining or improving a ball’s internal pressure to produce a decent bounce (typically about 15 psi when new from a pressurized can).
In conclusion, keeping a tennis ball “fresh” is more than simply about keeping it bouncy. Balls also need to have a decent felt covering required by tennis racquet strings to bite into the ball to generate spin, and, be fuzzy enough to create air friction to make its flight consistent with a decent tennis ball. Any tennis ball pressurizer simply will not repair chewed-up felt. Therefore, ball pressurizers are only useful for balls with a decent amount of felt to them.
I think what a lot of people do not realize is that there are players who seldom play… I am one of those players. I do not want to buy a can every time. I wouldn’t mind repressurizing a set of balls with decent amount of felt remaining.
PressureBall works really well for me. I play regularly and save a fortune on balls, as well as helping the environment.
I’ll happily pick up good looking discarded balls from other players and replenish them in the PressureBall.
I then take all the old balls to a local dog shelter once a year, which they love to accept and give to the dogs in the pound.
I strongly recommend the PowerBall, it works wonders.
I tried Ballsaver en Pressureball tube but they both loose their pressure! The Ballsaver performs bad and the Pressure-ball took longer to lose air. Therefore I made my own pressurecan. I used european rainpipe a valve from a cartire and a manometer. I bring it up to pressure with a bicyclepump. This device holds the pressure endless. As long as I agree with the feltwear the balls will keep bouncing like new ones.
I am probably not the only one who would like to see it 🙂
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I’ve used a pressureball tube in the past and it does restore the bounce but as the comments say it’s not the same as new as the felts is worn and I find sometimes that the balls start to swing more. Good enough for drills and practice, but not match play. I’d say if you can still make out the makers name on the ball it’s worth using one – will save cost and is less waste.
I like that advice with “seeing the name of the maker on the ball” 🙂
I have to say, I change the balls sooner than the maker’s name disappears.
I have used Barry Muldar’s Pressureball tubes – I have lots, for a few years and swear by them. They restore flat balls and enables you to play with ‘new’ balls until the cover wears significantly or gets too fluffy. Fluffy balls go nowhere into the wind. The worst thing you can do is to practice with soft and/or fluffy balls and then play in a competition starting with new balls that fly off the racquet. Pressureball tubes enable you to practice with balls that play close to new for longer than normal without the expense of buying new balls frequently. I have found the balls that restore well and play close to new for the longest and fluff up least are Wilson US Open (US Open in red).