Reason why tennis players check balls before serving and keep them in pockets

Wimbledon 2024 is fast-approaching as tennis’ best eye glory in SW19 once again.

Carlos Alcaraz and Marketa Vondrousova are the reigning champions in southwest London and we are set for another thrilling tournament.

But throughout the Grand Slam there will be something shared by the hundreds of players who take part and it all has to do with the way in which they serve.

Why do players check the ball before serving?

The reasoning behind checking the ball before a serve comes down to the hair on it.

A new tennis ball has smoothed flat hair while a used one will be more wild and fluffy and players are looking for one of each.

The smooth ball will be used for a players first serve as the flattered hairs mean it travels faster than an old ball.

But the cost to the added speed is a lack of grip which is why the percentage of first serves are likely to lack the accuracy of a second.

The fluffier ball will be stored in players pocket in case of a second serve – although they will move slower they are easier to control and thus decrease the possibility of a double fault.

Why do players have a second ball in their pockets?

So we know what the fluffier ball in tennis star’s pockets are but the question remains why they don’t allow the ballgirls and boys to hold onto them instead.

Put simply, it’s to save time.

At Wimbledon, as is the case with all Grand Slams, players are allowed to take 20 seconds before serving.

If a player has already missed their first serve they want to take the extra time before their second to regain their composure.

The second serve is the one that will need to be more controlled and require more focus which is what the players will be concentrating on rather than examining balls to see which is the fluffiest.