For you tennis players

[Midlander]

I just returned from a tennis tournament. Fairly frequently, when the person serving is getting the two tennis balls they are going to use for a point, they ask for three, study them for a bit, and then send one of them back to the ball boys.

What are they looking for? Or is it simply to waste time?

 

[spidey07]

looking to see how worn it is and choosing the two balls with the least wear. Tennis balls don't last very long.

 

[ppdes]

Wow, they can tell just by looking? I usually have to bounce or at least squeeze a ball to tell if it is dying.

 

[CraKaJaX]

Originally posted by: spidey07
looking to see how worn it is and choosing the two balls with the least wear. Tennis balls don't last very long.

 

[Howard]

Why don't they just get new balls for each tournament? How much do tennis balls cost?

 

[FrustratedUser]

Originally posted by: Howard
Why don't they just get new balls for each tournament? How much do tennis balls cost?

They change the balls every 9 games (basically every set).

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: ppdes
Wow, they can tell just by looking? I usually have to bounce or at least squeeze a ball to tell if it is dying.

It's not the bounce. It's the fuzz. You can feel the ball to see which ones have the most grip.

 

[ppdes]

Ah, now I have a new thing to be picky about when I'm losing.

 

[Midlander]

Originally posted by: spidey07
looking to see how worn it is and choosing the two balls with the least wear. Tennis balls don't last very long.

Thanks. That makes sense now.

 

[yosuke188]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: ppdes
Wow, they can tell just by looking? I usually have to bounce or at least squeeze a ball to tell if it is dying.

It's not the bounce. It's the fuzz. You can feel the ball to see which ones have the most grip.

Yes. More fuzz means that the strings make longer contact with it, making it easier to put topspin, and good for kick serves too.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: ppdes
Ah, now I have a new thing to be picky about when I'm losing.

No matter what sport. You can ALWAYS blame the equipment.

Or in tennis - it's always the net's fault.

 

[DayLaPaul]

Doesn't tennis force fans to return balls that have been hit into the stands during play? I remember reading some proposal about letting fans keep the balls, and remembered a few players objecting because they said that during the course of the match, they develope "favorite" balls and seek those specific ones from the ball boys.