Round-up review: our score and verdict are based on published specs and reviews from across the web, not our own play-testing yet.
Wilson’s US Open ball has been the official ball of the US Open since 1978, and the extra-duty version is for hard-court players who would rather a ball lasted than felt lively from the first point. It rewards patience and punishes nobody.
On court
Tennisnerd’s reviewer keeps it on a short list of trusted balls, with one caveat: it plays a bit better after the first hour. Straight from the tin it is firmer and harder than a Babolat or a Head Tour XT, and it takes real play to open up. Tennis Infinity, ranking it in the gold-standard tier with Dunlop Fort and Dunlop ATP, finds it slightly heavier than both.
Not a ball that flatters you on the first rally. Give it an hour.
How long it lasts
This is where the extra-duty felt earns its name. In American terms extra duty is the hard-court grade, more durable than regular duty, and Tennis Infinity’s tester found the US Open a little more durable than its Dunlop rivals. If you play on abrasive outdoor hard courts, the firm start is the trade for a can that goes the distance.
Key specs
- Type Pressurised
- Felt Extra duty, hard court
- Pack 4-ball tube
- Tour link US Open ball since 1978
Verdict
The hard-court regular’s ball: heavier, firmer and longer-lasting than the competition. If you want a soft, lively feel from the first serve, this one will feel like work.
