Weird gravity change on Australian Open Ballcourt!!!! Sharapova finds dead spot - check out the video!!!

Its all to do with radiating head. The color of the court was part of the contributing factor, as was the heat. In that darker colors absorb heat more than lighter ones do.

Sit in a Black Car compared to a White or Silver and you'll see a noticeable difference, or wear a white shirt compared to Black.

The Darker colored court (Blue) absorbed the Suns heat radiantly long enough for expansion to occur underneath it, when it expands air fills the void. And like a shock absorber, when they tried to bounce the ball over the patch of the court, they found they couldn't.

Sorry but the tennis ball thing is not uncommon on those courts. The court is made of thick rubber with a gritty surface so it is made to absorb more energy- when the small air bubble forms underneath it acts like a rubber shock absorber- the tennis ball because of design also adsorbs the energy. If the air bubble under the court was bigger and the rubber was taunt, the tennis ball would bounce off- it was just loose enough to make a dead spot.


Behold the magic table cloth...

Your video isn't a good example IMO.

Good explanation, thanks for your input. Badly constructed ball court imo - something like this should not happen at a Australian Open match.

Question, and I think this is an extremely valid one...and an honest question.

If it was a bubble of heat, why didn't the tennis ball 'roll' off the bubble? It does not have enough weight to crush the heat bubble and just sit there...does it? Obviously, this theory of the heat bubble would work much better if the ball weighed a shit ton more...

What happened is that the stifling temperatures in Melbourne caused a heat bubble filled with air to form under the surface of the court. It's the same concept that causes crust bubbles to develop on edges of pizza slices. As the Mirror reported, workers came out and drilled two small holes in the court, which let out the air. Order, and gravity, was restored.

Thanks for your input and explanation...and that is what the MSM was saying, that somehow this bubble formed due to rains etc. However, watching the video...it looks extremely strange. I could understand if the ball doesn't bounce off and just rolls (which I have seen before), but it just stops completely and just sticks to the floor as if stuck to super glue or velcro...aside from he fact that it made me laugh, it also just looks unreal!!

HAHAHAHAHA!

I have a GREAT answer to this question!

I'll send it to MythBusters...

That's how they fix these matches to make money from betting

YES!! DO IT!!

This one Sickscent...I did question also why the ball doesn't roll. With the force she tossed it down, it shouldn't just stick to the ground like that.

That's how they fix these matches to make money from betting

I just did...I've got an e-mail notification set up, so if there are any replies, or if they try to use it, I will be officially NOTIFIED.

hehehe

You cannot be serious! That ball was on the line. chalk flew up.
...The ball was in!.........

KEWL!! Be sure to let me know....GLP topic being debunked on MythBusters,

MythBusters is only a tv show. Entertainment who's purpose is to sell advertising for networks. Nothing more.

They haven't a warrant from God assigning them infallability in whatever decree they choose to issue on any subject whatsoever.

It didn't roll off I suspect due to the type of material the court is made from, it'll be a lightweight fabric rather than a plastic or stony material. Hence it has less solidified force to repel the ball. A bit like trying to make a tennis ball bounce off a Bed Mattress compared to a Driveway.

MythBusters is only a tv show. Entertainment who's purpose is to sell advertising for networks. Nothing more.

They haven't a warrant from God assigning them infallability in whatever decree they choose to issue on any subject whatsoever.

It didn't roll off I suspect due to the type of material the court is made from, it'll be a lightweight fabric rather than a plastic or stony material. Hence it has less solidified force to repel the ball. A bit like trying to make a tennis ball bounce off a Bed Mattress compared to a Driveway.

That does not explain zero movement--ZERO. How unlikely is that!?!?!?!?!