I can’t find any real explanation for this. Are there different balls? Some harder, some faster… or is it just a habit from players?
In: 56
Somewhat a habit, but there is a real difference in the “fuzziness” of different balls, and a real difference in how balls behave based on their fuzziness. That means a different ball may be “best” based on how much curve you want, or don’t want, etc. It’s understood that there’s probably a slight actual advantage, plus the mental/confidence boost that comes from feeling you’ve chosen the perfect ball. That said, there are a few pros that never reject balls and always use the first one – so maybe it’s more mental after all.
Here’s a 5 minute video from Vox called “[What Tennis Pros Look At When They Choose a Ball](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChzL17zV9hA)” that breaks down the science, plus interview clips from some top players and coaches.
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