It is round, it is (often) yellow, and a mark is printed on it ... It is not easy to differentiate between tennis balls and of padel balls. However, they are an essential element of the game and the pleasure that one takes while playing, of course according to one's expectations and level.
Yet like all elements on sports fields, the characteristics are very well defined by the international federations.
The characteristics of the padel ball
There are three notable differences:
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Ball pressure : In tennis, the ball must have an internal pressure of a little more than 2 bars while in padel, it will be around one bar for padel balls.
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The bounce of the ball : direct consequence of the pressure difference, the rebound of the padel ball will be less important than tennis and will slow down the game.
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Height and weight: Tennis players are big maniacs (yes yes), the weight of the tennis ball is very limited and must be between 56.7 and 58.5g. For padel balls, this amplitude is greater, between 56 and 59.4g. The size is common to both types of balls with a diameter between 6.35 and 6.77cm
These different standards allow manufacturers greater differences between each type of padel balls, and these differences will allow each player to find "his" favorite type of balls.
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Which padel balls to choose?
Occasional players or beginners
When you start a new sport, or when you play it irregularly, it's usually easier when things aren't going too well and you have enough time to position yourself and return the ball!
In this case, it is necessary to favor the balls with the least pressure, the less "steep".
Players who like a slow game or "classic padel"
Your pleasure is to make your opponent work and to force him to defend many balls gently skirting the grid. The slow vibora in the middle or a nice Bandeja brings you intense pleasure.
No doubt, "slow" balls are the ideal weapons to exhaust your opponents. And that's good, all brands have developed this type of balls which highlight the "classic" padel.
Babolat Plus balls:
It's the comfortable ball from home Babolat which provides medium speed and long life. One of its advantages is that it will remain fairly consistent throughout the different games you play, both in terms of rebound and feel in the racket!
Head Pro Balls
The balls Head Padel Propossessa reinforced core and a superior felt quality that allows control, precision and excellent durability.
Players who like the fast game or "modern padel"
You feel the soul of a Juan Lebron or a Augustin Tapià? Do you feel comfortable when the ball spins at 200 km / h, that it bounces in a devilish way on the windows? Your religion is Saint Par3 and the Pope Par4?
The different manufacturers have, of course, thought of you and all the brands have created balls to speed up the game, particularly since the appearance of carpets without sand (type WPT or Padel spirit ;-))
Below are examples of balls meeting these characteristics:
Head Pro S Balls:
These are the official balls of the World Padel Tour, and the best-selling bullets. The Head Pro S is harder, sharper for faster play. This ball gives a clean bounce, light and fast in addition to good control.
Babolat Tour Balls:
Babolat's foray into fastballs is a success. This competition oriented fastball is made from braided fibers that increase spin and improve durability.
Bullpadel Premium Pro:
This ball promotes the fast play thanks to its liveliness. Its high density rubber core does not require a lot of power to make it move very fast. In addition, it has a good longevity which has an advantage for training.
Lifespan of a padel ball
This is of course an aspect to which we are all sensitive, whether for reasons economical or ecological! I want to tell you that this lifespan also depends on what you like on a padel court.
If you prefer to play a placement padel, made up of numerous exchanges, Bandeja, Vibora and other "kick grid", then the balls can be kept for a few weeks. If your game is made of acceleration, par3 or par4, the life of the balls will be only one or two parts maximum ...
Expensive and not very ecological. There is a solution to improve these two consequences.
Bale pressurizers
The principle is simple. The balls lose their liveliness because they lose their pressure. The rubber being porous, it is possible by subjecting them to an external pressure to "re-inflate" them.
This is exactly what offers Pascal Box with their system. Thanks to a simple system made up of a sealed box and a pump (supplied) to increase the pressure inside the box, the balls "re-inflate" in less than 12 hours!
From my point of view, it's a essential accessory for all padeleros!
Sébastien Cornet, Founder of Esprit Padel
