ATP Tour

ATP ball centralisation: A new era of consistency

Six months into the 2025 ATP Tour season, the ATP has made significant progress in delivering greater ball consistency across the Tour. This is the first season in which the ATP is centralising the ball-supplier selection process, in collaboration with tournaments, moving away from the previous model where tournaments independently selected their own suppliers.

This shift towards a more centralised approach is improving consistency in ball usage within tournament swings, resulting in fewer changes for players and greater week-to-week continuity. The aim is to enhance player preparation and performance. 

So far in 2025, swings that previously featured varying ball types – including the February European indoor, February/March outdoor in the Americas and Middle East, and European spring clay swings – have now aligned under the new system. Further alignment is planned for the second half of the season. As existing tournament contracts under the previous system expire, full alignment within swings is expected by the 2027 season.

As a next step, and in collaboration with industry experts, the ATP will continue refining the process through direct player feedback, ball quality data analysis, and stricter certification requirements.

Ross Hutchins, ATP Chief Sporting Officer, said: “Ball centralisation has long been a priority for our sport. This is the first year we’ve centrally managed the process, and the results are clear – greater consistency, fewer changes, and ultimately a more seamless experience for players week to week, with a better product for the fans. Still, we understand that consistency alone isn’t enough. That’s why we're actively reviewing specifications and certification standards with expert input – and with ongoing player feedback at the core. Since 2023, we’ve collected feedback from more than 3,500 player surveys at Tour level. This is a major focus for us, and we’re grateful to our tournament partners and ball suppliers, whose collaboration has been key to driving our progress so far.”