How Sir David Attenborough influenced the colour of Wimbledon tennis balls
The reason Wimbledon tennis balls are bright yellow has a little something to do with Sir David Attenborough.
Ah, Wimbledon. The strawberries, the cream, the polite applause, and the gentle thwack of racquet on ball across pristine grass courts. But let’s talk about one of the tournament’s brightest stars—no, not Novak or Serena—but those zingy, zesty, luminous tennis balls. Ever wondered why they’re that particular shade? It’s not just to match the grass.
Wimbledon balls are officially “optic yellow” and for a very good reason. This vivid hue became the standard in 1986, when the International Tennis Federation decided the traditional white balls were just too tricky to spot on colour TV.
And fun fact: it was none other than Sir David Attenborough, during his time as a BBC executive, who played a key role in ushering in the age of colour television, making optic yellow a visual necessity. Who knew tennis owed a little of its flair to the king of natural history?
Yellow was chosen because it’s one of the most visible colours to the human eye, especially when it's hurtling across Centre Court at 120mph. And at Wimbledon, they don’t mess about: every ball is tested for weight, bounce and fuzziness, and stored at exactly 20°C to keep it in tip-top condition. A bit of pampering? Perhaps. But you’d want to look your best if millions were watching you get smacked around on live TV.
So next time you’re watching, raise a glass (or a strawberry) to optic yellow. Because at Wimbledon, even the balls have a touch of star power.