Not Even Roger Federer Can Settle the Debate About What Color Tennis Balls Are
The internet’s debate about the true color of tennis balls just went pro.
Nothing splits the internet like a good “The Dress”-like argument and it turns out the tennis ball is a polarizing piece of sports equipment. Is it yellow or green?
This debate started like all of the greats with a Twitter poll. Depending on who you ask, some people firmly believe the fuzzy balls are yellow, green, chartreuse, lime green, or neon yellow.
Surely, the world’s number one ranking men’s tennis player, Roger Federer, could settle things once and for all. That’s what one man thought when the GOAT was greeting fans in Chicago Monday, so he asked him to weigh in.
“Hey Roger, are tennis balls green or yellow?” the man asked in a video that has gone viral.
Not missing a beat, Federer answered with complete certitude.
“They’re yellow!” he said with a smile.
OKAY ITS OFFICIAL MY DAD JUST ASKED @rogerfederer IF TENNIS BALLS ARE YELLOW OR GREEN AND HE SAID THEY ARE YELLOW pic.twitter.com/EXdXRr0oFa
— Delaney Dold (@delaneyanndold) March 19, 2018
The guy has 20 Grand Slam titles under his belt. He must have collected more tennis ball expertise throughout his glittering career than the average internet expert.
Be that as it may, his decisive response only revved the debate up even more.
People continue to argue about it with the passion usually reserved for high school productions of Inherit the Wind.
Thank the color perception phenomenon for the strong differences of opinion. It all boils down to the way we perceive light.
For what it’s worth (not much at this point) most tennis ball manufacturers would side with Federer.
See some of the takes below.
if roger says they're yellow, theyr yellow ???????? pic.twitter.com/anh3Hb8tWl
— narelle (@ensquaredx2) March 19, 2018
Tennis balls are green. Why is this a question. Roger Federer is wrong. https://t.co/R93wElqjAq
— Audra (@audra_spiven) March 20, 2018
I’m the only one to say yellow, but the official color of a tennis ball is fluorescent yellow... so y’all wrong ???? pic.twitter.com/E2VdEvR2Ve
— Sav (@hellyeah1000) March 20, 2018
Ok. Aren't tennis balls a shade of day-glow / hi-vis yellow?
— SuperSonicBlur (@SSB_BAC) March 21, 2018
Are tennis balls green or yellow? ????????????
— Garrett Lee (@gmoneylee99) March 21, 2018
TENNIS BALLS ARE YELLOW
STOP PRETENDING THIS IS HARD— Mitch(ell) Atencio (@mitchellatencio) March 21, 2018
Blue light filter+yellow tennis ball=green
Mystery solved
If you have ever seen a tennis ball it's clearly yellow... https://t.co/MUhqefyqj5— Potato aim (@Jhollowayforday) March 20, 2018
how do people look at a tennis ball and think it's green?
— groucho marxist leninist (@kevinparttwo) March 20, 2018
For some the question is a real eye opener.
I CANT BELIEVE TENNIS BALLS ARENT GREEN IVE BEEN SEEING AND THINKING OF THEM AS GREEN MY WHOLE LIFE
— hanz (@tayloraIbums) March 20, 2018
— 30andexhausted (@romasfinest05) March 20, 2018