Are you familiar with the fact that the first Wimbledon was played in 1877? Don’t be surprised, tennis has been around for longer than you think. It was kickstarted in 1873 and didn’t stop growing since then. It’s one of those sports where sportsmanship and fair play are two key factors.
Practising tennis will help you be active no matter what age you are. Besides the standard equipment racquet, tennis balls, good clothes and shoes, there are some accessories that make your training much easier. The ball basket is one of them. It’s an important accessory, especially if you’re a beginner.
What’s a Tennis Ball Basket?
A tennis ball basket is a piece of equipment tennis players use to collect balls around the court. It’s very helpful if there are a bunch of tennis balls scattered across the court. It can be tiring to collect them one by one or carry them in your pockets. These practical tennis ball baskets may seem simple but have a good purpose. They’ll come in handy whether you’re practising your serve on your own or helping your friend with their training. They’re one of those inexpensive tennis accessory investments that can make your game easier.
What to Consider When Buying a Tennis Ball Basket?
As you might expect, not all tennis ball baskets have the same features. Some are more appropriate for children while others are better for professional players. In order to make the right purchase, here are some factors you should keep at the forefront of your mind:
Size
The size of these baskets can vary a lot. It starts with 40 and can go up to 140 balls per basket. Of course, the more they can carry, the larger they’ll be. But the standard size that suits almost any player, professional or in training, is around 50-75 balls. If you want a larger basket, you’ll need to buy more tennis balls in order to use their full capacity. This can be a problem for some players because tennis balls can be expensive.
Also, if you have a lot of balls to carry, you may have difficulties transporting and carrying the basket around the court. There will be balls all over the place and handling a large basket can be tiring. Plus, if children have access to it and will help you during the training, it’ll be hard for them to use it.
Weight
Weight goes hand in hand with size. You may think an empty basket doesn’t weigh a lot, but try to imagine it filled with balls. As you add them, they’ll get heavier and heavier. If you’re not careful, you may end up with a basket that’s too heavy for you to carry.
The more compact models are usually lighter, with some weighing as little as 1 kg. This is the ideal weight for children who are just starting to play tennis and have yet to develop their muscles. The larger models, on the other hand, can weigh up to 5 kg. These are meant for strong players who don’t have any problem carrying a heavier load.
Height
The ideal height of a tennis ball cart is not standardised because not all humans are of the same height. The most important thing to remember when you’re buying one is not to crouch or bend when you have to take the balls out of the basket. Taller people need tall baskets. For example, if someone is 180cm high, they’ll need a basket that’s around 75cm high (give or take a couple of centimetres).
Material
The 2 most common materials used for baskets are plastic and steel. Steel is durable, strong, and will probably last longer than plastic. But on the other hand, plastic is lighter, but it can get damaged easily. Steel baskets are more expensive than plastic ones, and are a good investment in the long run.
The choice between the two depends on your personal preferences and budget. Besides the main material, some baskets are coated with different layers for protection against the elements. Heavy rains can cause rust to steel baskets and the heat of the sun can crack the plastic ones.
Legs
Many tennis ball baskets have handles that can be folded down to form legs. This is useful for raising the basket off the ground during feeding or catching balls. Finding a basket with this attribute is usually a must for many players. But remember that these baskets generally have a less sturdy design.
Lids and Wheels
It will be helpful to find a ball hopper with a lid if you want to use it to transport the balls. Oftentimes, players top over their basket by accident. This means running along the court again to collect the balls. This can be a very annoying situation and to prevent it from happening, you should get one that has a lid.
Wheels can be a great addition to the basket, with some models even coming with a built-in handle. This way, you can move it around without having to carry it. The added wheels will also make it easier to store in your garage or car trunk.
Additional Tennis Accessories
Roller
This is a modernised tool that made the life of tennis players much easier. The roller comes in many shapes, sizes and designs. It’s easy to use, just roll it around over the tennis balls and it’ll start collecting them inside without much effort. Just like you’re mopping a floor, simple movements that get the job done in no time.
Tubes
This is another popular option to pick up balls. These tubes are long and can come in different sizes. You can fit between 15-21 balls inside one tube depending on the design. They go in one by one and it’s often a fun task for children who don’t want to do the job. Always look for tubes with rubber bands that stop the balls from falling out, straps so you can easily carry them around and a hook at one end to hang them on the cart or at the fence.
Mowers
Mowers may be the fastest and easiest way to pick up scattered balls. Large arms direct the balls to the machine’s centre, where they are forced out the top and into a basket. Similar to the roller type, you have to push the mower to collect the balls. You have good control over the movement, but this is a tool that’s a bit more expensive than the rest.
Single Ball Pickup
These little tubes get attached at the end of the racquet’s handle and help you pick up the balls one by one. It’s a fun tool children can use. It works on suction and has a good grip around the tennis balls. It can be time-consuming to use it, but if you have back pain this will be one of the best investments you’ve made.