Tennis Balls by Balls Unlimited: Top Quality at a Fair Price
For more than 20 years now, Balls Unlimited has been dedicated to developing high-quality tennis balls. You could almost say the career of company owner Ralph Papenfuhs was written in the stars: his father, as head of colour research at Hoechst AG, invented and patented the yellow dye that still defines the look of most tennis balls today, back in the late 1960s. But however simple a ball looks as it rolls out of the can, the interplay between its two key materials — felt and rubber — is remarkably complex. At Tennis-Point you can order the unique tennis balls from Balls Unlimited online and experience them for yourself.
Balls Unlimited: Award-Winning, Innovative Felt
Balls Unlimited takes a distinctive, uncompromising approach, especially when it comes to choosing its felt. As the only manufacturer in the world, it uses exclusively English Playnes felt across its entire ball range, prized for its exceptional durability. Over three years of development, numerous ball variants were tested, evaluated and further refined, until in 2014 the Balls Unlimited tennis ball collection first became available to players across Europe.
Just six months after launch, the Balls Unlimited Code Black won the ball test run by the German tennis magazine Deutsches Tennis Magazin. That result was confirmed again in 2016 and 2019, when the Code Black was once more crowned value-for-money winner in the test.
Which Balls Unlimited tennis balls are available?
Tennis ball production generally distinguishes between different manufacturing processes, each with its own advantages depending on the intended use. Whatever the manufacturing process, all balls must meet the specifications of the International Tennis Federation (ITF). Pressurised balls are usually made in a ball press that fills the ball's core with higher air pressure. Over time, however, the ball's core loses its internal pressure, since natural rubber is never completely airtight. This reduces both bounce height and ball firmness at the moment of contact.
Balls Unlimited counters this effect with the right choice of tennis ball felt. The pressurised balls from Balls Unlimited use only premium Playnes tennis ball felt. This felt stands out for its excellent cushioning at the point of impact as well as a consistent, slightly fluffy surface. As felt fibres wear away during play, they are steadily replaced from the deeper fibre structure. In the process, the felt gradually thins and reduces cushioning according to precisely defined specifications.
When developing Balls Unlimited tennis balls, it's crucial that the fading internal pressure of the ball core and the reduced cushioning of the Playnes felt are systematically matched, so the two effects offset each other for as long as possible. The end result is maximum durability and a comfortable, arm-friendly game with consistent flight characteristics and a steady bounce height.
Pressureless balls from Balls Unlimited are made from a blend of synthetic and natural rubber, prized for its elasticity. The ball gets its bounce solely from the elastic properties of this rubber and retains almost the same bounce even after very extended play. That's why pressureless balls are especially popular with coaches and are usually the type used to fill ball machines. For these balls, using high-quality, long-lasting Playnes felt is essential. They generally don't feel quite as comfortable to play with as pressurised balls, but they last considerably longer.
Discover tennis balls from Balls Unlimited and order online
The Balls Unlimited tennis ball range covers many categories. At Tennis-Point you'll find the right ball for every use. This includes tournament balls from Balls Unlimited as well as affordable coaching balls from Balls Unlimited. Balls Unlimited also offers balls for young up-and-coming players. These lighter tennis balls from Balls Unlimited for children are popular in tennis schools too. Here as well, Balls Unlimited relies on premium English Playnes felt. By the way: only Balls Unlimited offers two variants of these so-called methodology balls. Alongside a tournament version with yellow felt, marked with a coloured dot, there's also a training version with two felt colours, making the ball's rotation especially easy to see.