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| Photo credit: Rod Cross and Crawford Lindsey- Tennis Warehouse University |
So you want to know "Why is a tennis ball fuzzy?" The simple answer is that it just makes play better. According to the International Tennis Federation, the practice of wrapping the rubber balls with flannel to improve play began in the mid to late 1800s. It slows the ball down a bit, reduces bounce, and provides added grip to the surface. Imagine playing tennis with a handball, and that's basically what playing tennis sans fuzz would be like. A drawback is that it also makes each serve a little different due to its non-uniformity. If you would like to see a very, very, detailed explanation as to what exactly the fuzz does to the aerodynamics, check out this remarkably well researched write-up by the Tennis Warehouse University.
