While tennis fans are glued to their screens for the Australian Open, there’s a juicy piece of tennis history that’s rarely in the spotlight – the evolution of the tennis ball.

Who would’ve thought that the game once had matches played with white or black balls before the era of the iconic yellow fluorescent ones we know today?

Back in the late 1880s until the 1970s, the tennis scene was rocking different-coloured balls. The switch to the now-famous yellow ball happened thanks to none other than David Attenborough, the nature legend, who noticed a little TV trouble while working for the BBC.

In a revelation to Radio Times, Attenborough spilled the beans: ‘I was the big cheese at BBC2 in 1967, and my task was to bring in colour. We were pestering the government for yellow balls, and after much back-and-forth, they finally said, “Alright, you can have it, and you’re getting it in nine months,” or something like that.’

And there you have it – in 1972, the International Tennis Federation gave the nod to the ‘optic yellow’ ball. Wimbledon took a little longer, making fans wait until 1986 before allowing the yellow balls to grace their courts. Who knew that the 97-year-old Attenborough had such a game-changing impact on tennis?

In today’s tennis buzz, three out of the four British hopefuls aced their way into the tournament’s third round. Emma Raducanu stole the show with some stellar straight-set wins, while Katie Boulter also flexed her promising skills.

But the real head-turner? Jack Draper, who made headlines not just for his gruelling five-set triumph but also for a less glamorous moment – he reportedly tossed his cookies into a bin at the end of the match. Talk about leaving it all on the court! 🎾🤢