the Dunlop tennis ball One thing underpins it all, the Dunlop tennis ball. Obsessively crafted, meticulously engineered, officially endorsed. The Official Ball of the Australian Open and Emirates Australian Open Series.

At the Australian Open the used balls are sold on site, after which some will gather dust as souvenirs and others will be belted around club courts and backyards. Many will be chased down by inexhaustible dogs and a few will land on roofs and clog up drainpipes. But there are many other uses for old tennis balls.

50,000 balls Total number of balls used every tournament Every year about 50,000 balls are used in the Australian Open. Moreover, in every tournament, about 300 boys and girls are selected to volunteer.

The Australian Open is the only Slam to use Dunlop balls, with the French and US Opens both using Wilson and Wimbledon using Slazenger balls.

cushion acrylic hard courts Courts. The Australian Open is played on cushion acrylic hard courts prepared by Greenset Worldwide. Until 2008, the surface used was Rebound Ace. There are 39 courts in total at Melbourne Park - 33 hard courts and six clay courts.

Dunlop tennis balls Welcome to the world of Dunlop tennis balls, used around the globe from recreational courts to Grand Slam stadiums.

Why have the 2023 Australian Open balls been criticised? Essentially, players are unhappy with their durability. A common sight during the 2023 Australian Open has been players walking up to the chair umpire and handing them balls they believe are no longer fit for purpose.

Ball kids do not get paid. But the top performing girl and boy each receive the 'Top Gun' award and grants them the opportunity to participate as ball kids in the French Open.

The Australian Open features men's and women's singles, men's and women's doubles, mixed doubles, and wheelchair competitions. It is played on hard courts and is known for its fast-paced and aggressive style of play.

The smell of hot rubber wafts through the air as some 400 workers churn out 275,000 balls each day.

The Australian Open is the only Slam to use Dunlop balls, with the French and US Opens both using Wilson and Wimbledon using Slazenger balls.

The electronic line-calling was introduced for the first time at the Australian Open in 2021. It replaced the line judges in an effort to reduce the number of staff on-site during the COVID-19 pandemic. The technology works with remote tracking cameras around the court, sending the audio line calls in real time.

Both the US Open and the Australian Open are played on hard courts. Hard courts are deemed fast surfaces. Both asphalt and concrete tennis courts have a top coating. This top coating can dictate the amount of ball action, but will not affect the ball as much as clay or grass.

Modern tennis balls must conform to certain size, weight, deformation, and bounce criteria to be approved for regulation play. The International Tennis Federation (ITF) defines the official diameter as 6.54–6.86 cm (2.57–2.70 inches). Balls must have masses in the range 56.0–59.4 g (1.98–2.10 ounces).

The most expensive manufacturing material used is the felt ball cover. Today there are more than 200 different brands of tennis balls with over 350 million sold worldwide each year. Penn and Wilson tennis balls still maintain the biggest market share.

“What's happening here [at the Australian Open], is that the players are saying that the felt [on the ball] expands more, quicker than normal,” said O'Shannessy, a former tennis pro who has worked with 21-time grand slam champion Djokovic. “So, the balls are changed at seven games initially and then nine, nine, nine.