A curious colour debate has spilled over from the tennis courts of Melbourne Park into the AFL, with North Melbourne Kangaroos stars disagreeing on the hue of the balls used at the Australian Open.
The Kangaroos' Colour Clash
While Dunlop is the official ball partner for the tournament, confirming the balls are a shade known as fluorescent or 'optic yellow', some players see it differently. Midfielder George Wardlaw was adamant in his assessment, stating clearly on camera, 'It is a green tennis ball.'
However, not all his teammates agreed. Defender Colby McKercher identified the colour as fluoro yellow, with midfielder Dylan Stephens also backing the yellow verdict. This division mirrors a much wider and long-running dispute among sports fans globally.
A Historical Switch: From White to Yellow
The debate has a fascinating origin story, closely tied to the dawn of colour television. In 2024, it was revealed that legendary broadcaster Sir David Attenborough played a pivotal role in the ball's colour change. As controller of BBC2 in 1967 during Wimbledon, he pushed for a more visible ball for colour broadcasts.
'We had been asking the government over and over again and they wouldn't allow us, until suddenly they said, "Yes, OK, you can have it",' Attenborough told Radio Times. This persistence led to the International Tennis Federation (ITF) approving the 'optic yellow' ball in 1972, a standard now used at all major tournaments, including Wimbledon and the Australian Open.
A Perception Puzzle With No Single Answer
The question is far from settled among the public. A global poll on X (formerly Twitter) in 2023 showed how split opinion is, with 46.7% of respondents calling the ball yellow and 43.2% voting for green. Even tennis legend Roger Federer weighed in back in 2018, declaring the balls yellow when asked by a fan.
Ultimately, neurological experts suggest both answers can be considered correct. A person's perception of the colour is influenced by the light reflection on the ball's surface and how their individual brain interprets the wavelength. This scientific explanation means the friendly argument, much like a long tennis rally, shows no signs of ending.
