Wimbledon first used yellow tennis balls during the 1986 Championships, replacing the traditional white balls used at the tournament.
The change was introduced because yellow balls were easier for spectators to see, especially on television. As colour broadcasting became standard, the bright yellow felt stood out more clearly against the green grass and surrounding backgrounds than white balls did.
The switch took place during Wimbledon’s 100th edition. The 1986 tournament ran from June 23 to July 6, with Boris Becker winning the men's singles title and Martina Navratilova winning the women's singles championship.
White tennis balls had been part of Wimbledon’s visual identity for decades, so the move was a noticeable break with tradition. The yellow design soon became the global standard in professional tennis, although the balls are often casually called “optic yellow” rather than simply yellow.