Because professional players hit the ball harder than recreational players, they will use a different set of balls every 9 games. That's why it's usually considered advantageous to serve first when the umpire says "New balls please." The manufacturer recommends that you get at least 100 miles out of each pair of balls.
The most common way for a pro to start a match is with a server-receiver combination. This means that both players will send the ball up into the air to start the game and then one player will return the ball while the other waits in the deuce court (each deuce court has two sides - a men's and a women's side). The waiting player will be able to take another shot after each deuce is served. As soon as the opponent returns the ball, it is the receiver's turn again. A pro will also sometimes have his or her partner stand on the baseline while the player serves from there.
Recreational players tend to use between 10 and 20 percent more balls than pros because they don't hit the ball as hard. Most recreational players will use a new ball every time they change courts. However, some high-level players may use only one type of ball during a tournament if they are serving well enough to keep getting their own back.
Professional tennis players frequently select three or four balls before serving, but only utilize two. This is a strategy to improve their chances of winning a point. For the first serve, players like a smooth ball with no obvious fragments of felt coming free. If the ball is too hard, it will be difficult to control and send into the court with force. If it's not hard enough, it won't have enough velocity to be effective against an opponent who can move quickly.
For the second serve, players look for a slightly softer ball than they did for the first serve. They need something that will break cleanly if hit firmly enough, but isn't so soft that it'll go out of shape easily while still being heavy enough to carry far. A player who picks up several balls may choose one or two over which to serve, depending on how the match is going.
The third (and sometimes fourth) serve is used when the first two serves have been unsuccessful in giving the player a chance to win the point. Usually this means that the player has no advantage over her opponent because he can simply wait until the next ball is served before making his return.
Some players will pick up as many as five balls before serving! This is usually done by male players who are trying to disguise the size of the ball they're using.
If you can't afford a lot of new balls, used ones are fine for informal practice. There's a reason why professional tournaments rotate the balls every 9 games or so. New balls are more durable and feel better in your hand.
However, if you plan to play in public venues or at high levels of competition, it's best not to use old balls because they won't conform to the required standard of quality and durability.
The material used in the construction of tennis balls is natural rubber. It's been around for many years and remains popular today because it feels good when you hit a ball with it and also provides ample freedom of movement after being stretched during play. However, natural rubber balls do wear out over time and need replacing about every 300-500 swings. This is because the rubber itself is organic and grows harder as it ages.
While natural rubber balls are still used by some professionals, most use something else instead. For example, one of the most popular materials used now is synthetic rubber. It works just like natural rubber but lasts much longer and doesn't break down under pressure like its natural counterpart does. Some manufacturers even produce balls made from different layers of synthetic material that remain soft and flexible even after being stretched several times beyond their original size.
The balls in their pockets will be used to serve the ball. If the initial serve is a blunder, it is quicker to reach into the ball boys' pockets for the following serve rather than asking them for the ball. Also, if the player needs time to think about his or her next move, he or she can do so while waiting for the replacement ball to arrive.
Here are some other reasons why tennis players should not throw away their balls:
Tennis balls tend to be expensive, costing up to $20 per ball. Thus, wasting balls means wasting money. Also, balls lose their bounce after being hit so they must be replaced frequently.
Players should replace their balls every time they use them because the rubber walls of the pocket absorb much of the ball's energy when it is struck. This means that players are using up their supply faster than they would if they kept the balls in full view on the court where others could see them and bring more onto the scene.
There are three types of tennis balls: singles, doubles, and coaches'. Singles balls are only used by one person at a time, usually the male player when playing by himself. Doubles balls are used by two people simultaneously, most commonly a married couple playing a match together.
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