I'm not sure how it evolved, but according to studies by
NASA
Even though a tennis ball does not have a smooth surface, you get a bigger wake because of the very rough surface, plus the effect of additional drag from each fuzz filament, which I have termed fuzz drag," he said. "Fuzz drag makes the aerodynamics of the tennis ball even more interesting since the fuzz elements change orientation with increased velocity and the fuzz wears off during play.