12 January 2026 | Tennis Victoria

Every tennis player knows the feeling of cracking open a fresh can of balls, the pop of the seal, the bounce of new felt. But what happens to those balls once they lose their bounce? For years, the answer was simple: they were tossed aside. Now, Tennis Victoria is helping change that story.

Tennis Victoria has joined forces with Ludis, a Melbourne-based start-up born out of Monash University’s Fastrack program. Ludis was founded with a clear mission: tackle the staggering waste problem in tennis. Each year, more than 300 million tennis balls are discarded worldwide, and each one can take up to 400 years to decompose.

The origins of Ludis are as inspiring as the mission itself. Its founder first picked up a tennis ball at age nine, focused only on mastering a forehand. But years of playing and working at major tournaments revealed the hidden cost of the sport: mountains of discarded balls. That realisation sparked the creation of Ludis, a company determined to give tennis balls a second life.

Through a partnership with the Australian Sporting Goods Association (ASGA), Ludis is supporting the system to collect used balls from clubs across Victoria. These balls are then recycled and repurposed into innovative products, most notably, shoe soles.

Clubs across Victoria can now opt into the program by setting up a Ludis (or ASGA) recycling bin. Once full, the balls are collected for a small pick-up fee. From there, they begin their second life, transformed into something new and useful rather than ending up in landfill.

For Tennis Victoria, this initiative is about more than waste reduction. It’s about leading by example, showing players and communities that sustainability can be woven into the fabric of the sport. By working with ASGA and Ludis, Tennis Victoria is not only refreshing awareness around recycling but also inspiring clubs to take part in a movement that benefits both the game and the planet.

With Tennis Victoria’s support, Ludis is expanding its reach, helping more clubs across the state join the recycling program. Together, they’re proving that small changes, like where you toss your old tennis balls, can make a big difference.

Want to know how you can get involved? If you have any questions, feel free to contact Ludis or Tennis Victoria.