Scale Explorer

Sports

How big is a tennis ball?

Tennis ball

Diameter
6.54–6.86 cm 2.57–2.7 in range
Mass
56–59.4 g 0.123–0.131 lb range
Show
Honeybee, US penny, Tennis ball, Human drawn to the same scaleHoneybee: length (worker) 10–15 mm. US penny: diameter 19.05 mm. Tennis ball: diameter 6.54–6.86 cm. Human: height 1.61–1.75 m.Honeybee: 10–15 mmUS penny: 19.05 mmTennis ball: 6.54–6.86 cmHuman: 1.61–1.75 mHuman1.61–1.75 mTennis ball6.54–6.86 cmUS penny19.05 mmHoneybee10–15 mm
Everything is drawn to the same scale, standing on the same ground line. Silhouettes are simplified outlines scaled to the measured dimension. A faded outline shows the top of a size range.

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Dimensions

MeasurementMetricImperialNotesSource
Diameter 6.54–6.86 cm 2.57–2.7 in Size limits for Type 1 (fast), Type 2 (medium) and high-altitude balls, 2.57-2.70 in. Range: varies [1] [2]
Mass 56–59.4 g 0.123–0.131 lb Mass limits for all ball types, 1.975-2.095 oz. Range: varies [1]

About the tennis ball

A tennis ball is a hollow rubber ball covered in fabric, usually bright yellow. The ITF Rules of Tennis require the standard fast and medium balls to measure 6.54 to 6.86 cm across and weigh 56.0 to 59.4 g. A larger, slower ball is also allowed, and every approved ball must pass bounce and squash tests too.

  • The Type 3 (slow) ball is larger, at 7.00-7.30 cm across, but has the same mass limits. [1]
  • Dropped from a set height, a Type 1 (fast) ball must bounce back 138-151 cm. [1]
  • The ITF checks a ball's size with two ring gauges: it must fall through the larger ring under its own weight but not through the smaller one. [2]

How many fit?

  • ≈ 25 × Tennis ball · diameter lined up end to end match the Human · height
  • ≈ 1,300–1,600 × Tennis ball · mass on the scales weigh as much as Human · body mass
  • ≈ 3.5 × US penny · diameter lined up end to end match the Tennis ball · diameter
  • ≈ 23 × US penny · weight on the scales weigh as much as Tennis ball · mass

Counts divide one sourced figure by another. "End to end" uses each object's main measurement; weight and volume rows appear only when both figures are sourced.

How it compares

  • 3.5× A tennis ball is about 3.5 times as wide as a US penny. See side by side
  • 1.3× A tennis ball is about 1.3 times as wide as an AA battery is tall. See side by side
  • 1/3.5 A baseball is about 3.5 times as around as a tennis ball is wide. See side by side
  • 1/1.8 A soda can is about 1.8 times as tall as a tennis ball is wide. See side by side
  • 1/2.8 A pencil is about 2.8 times as long as a tennis ball is wide. See side by side
  • 1/25 An average adult is about 25 times as tall as a tennis ball is wide. See side by side

Factors compare the diameter of a tennis ball with each object’s own main measurement (height for a human). Where a size varies, the factor is given as a range.

Notes on these figures

  • The Rules table calls this measure 'size'; the ITF's ball approval document explains it is the ball's diameter, checked with ring gauges.
  • The larger Type 3 (slow) ball, 7.00-7.30 cm, is not included in the headline range.

Sources

  1. International Tennis Federation, ITF Rules of Tennis 2026, Appendix I: The Ball. Accessed 25 September 2026.
  2. International Tennis Federation, Ball Approval Tests (November 2019). Accessed 25 September 2026.

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