How the size of tennis balls was decided

There are various theories about the origins of tennis, but it is said to have its roots in a game called jeu de paume, played by French nobility around the 12th century. In this game players would hit a ball to each other using the palms of their hands.

At that time, the balls were made from animal hide stuffed with hair or cloth, and there was no standardization in materials or size. As a result, the way the balls bounced varied significantly, greatly affecting how easy or difficult it was to play.

In the 19th century, rubber balls emerged during the Industrial Revolution, and tennis evolved into a form closer to today’s lawn tennis. However, even in this era, there was no standardized size for the balls, and different manufacturers produced balls of varying sizes. Since different balls were used for different tournaments, there were issues with fairness.

To resolve this problem, the ITF standardized ball specifications in the 1920s and established a rule requiring that all official tournaments use balls adhering to the same specifications.

This ensured a consistent playing environment across all tournaments, allowing players to focus on the competition without feeling any sense of unfairness.

In other words, the current standardized size of tennis balls is rooted in a desire to guarantee the fairness and consistency of the sport.