Slazenger Wimbledon tennis balls are some of the most popular tennis balls in the UK and used at major events on the pro tour like the Wimbledon Champions and the Queen’s Club Championships. They’re also very commonly used at a club level and in local league tennis. But how good are they really? In this Slazenger Wimbledon tennis ball review we’ll be putting them to the test!
Slazenger Wimbledon ball specifications
Ball type - pressurized
Court type - all court
Player level - beginner, intermediate
ITF classification- approved, type 2 medium speed
Other features- Slazenger HydroGuard Technology
First impression
At first, the balls seem rather heavy and low bouncing, at least when compared to other tennis balls we use regularly, like the Wilson US Open or Dunlop Fort. Some players may not like this, but I personally prefer it. In many cases, faster and lighter balls make it much more difficult to get a decent hit in the warm up. The Slazenger Wimbledon balls, on the other hand, bounce at slightly above hip height, making them very easy to hit with and keep under control.
After a couple of minutes of hitting, they seem to warm up a little and become a bit lighter, though don’t become too lively. My initial impressions were that they play nicely and I felt very comfortable hitting with them in the warm-up.
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Performance
From a performance perspective, we know that the Slazenger Wimbledon balls will perform exceptionally on grass. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be used at Wimbledon and other pro events. But most of us rarely get the chance to play on real grass tennis courts, so I am more interested in how they perform on astroturf and hard courts.
Ball Bounce
My first impressions suggested this would be a low-medium bouncing ball, at least when compared to other tennis balls used regularly in league tennis, such as the Dunlop Fort. After knocking up with them for a little while, they did become a little lighter and slightly higher bouncing, though they were still fairly heavy in comparison. From then on, they seemed to keep a pretty consistent bounce for the duration of our hit. Even after a couple of sets, the balls were bouncing at around hip height.
When using them a second time around, a few days after our first hit, we noticed that the balls had lost some of their pressure, though nowhere near as much as other balls do. The bounce seemed to be similar to what it was on the first day, and remained pretty consistent until the end of our second hit.
Ball speed
Slazenger Wimbledon are classed as a Type 2 medium speed ball by the ITF. However, when compared to other commonly used tennis balls, the Slazenger Wimbledon balls feel slightly slower and heavier. The speed of the balls makes them a little easier to use on fast-paced courts like astroturf and grass by slowing down the pace of rallies and creating slightly longer points.
Of course, on more abrasive surfaces like hard courts, they tend to fluff up quicker and play even slower, which makes it a little more difficult to put the ball past your opponent and makes rallies longer.
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Durability
I found the Slazenger Wimbledon tennis balls to be very durable, particularly on astro turf courts. Their overall performance remains pretty consistent for a couple of matches. During league fixtures, I've regularly been able to get four to five sets of competitive tennis out of them, and they’re still perfectly usable after that too!
On hard courts, they definitely wear down a little quicker and fluff up more, which makes them play a little heavier. That being said, they still seemed to keep their pressure and bounce for four to five sets, after which they did seem to be on their way out.
They may not be as durable as other tennis balls on hard courts, but they are without a doubt the best and most durable tennis ball for use on astro turf courts.
Slazenger Wimbledon balls in wet conditions
They also feature what Slazenger calls the Hydro Guard Technology, which is a coating added to the felt to prevent the felt on the balls from becoming stained by grass. It also makes them a little better at resisting any surface humidity, which is particularly useful for playing in wet conditions. And I've had plenty of opportunities to test them in the rain thanks to the fantastic British weather.c
While I've never been able to get much more than two sets out of them, they definitely are more durable in wet conditions than other tennis balls.
Price and Value for money
Available at around £6-9 per tin of four or £15-20 per dozen depending on where you buy them, they are a bit more expensive than the average tennis ball. That being said, I still think they’re great value for money, since they do offer excellent performance and you’ll comfortably get two matches out of them if you’re using them on astroturf courts.
Verdict and Final thought
Slazenger Wimbledon tennis balls offer a fantastic overall performance with a medium bounce that’s well suited to grass courts and are durable, particularly on softer surfaces like astroturf. There’s no doubt that they’re the best grass court tennis balls on the market and we’d definitely consider them some of the best tennis balls overall too!
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