What Happens If a Ball Falls Out of Your Pocket in Tennis?

Tennis sports have incredible moves with very nice tactical plays that can always guarantee you a great time whether you are watching or playing. The only letdown can be the balls that lose their bounce somewhat faster. But even that is taken care of by some durable balls from the Wilson Hope tennis balls. This has, however, not stopped some players from carrying extra balls to the court. What could happen if a ball falls off a player’s pocket during a match?

If a ball falls from your pocket while playing tennis, it is up to your opponent to call it a hindrance. Your opponent must do this before the point is over. However, since it was unintentional, he may warn you if the ball causes a let on their end.

In tennis, sportsmanship is a huge part of the game, as you may have seen players apologize to each other frequently. Make sure you read ahead for more info on this sport.

Why Do Tennis Players Keep Balls In Their Pockets?

Tennis players keep balls in their pockets as an alternative just in case either of their serves fails. However, most matches have ball boys now who keep the balls and can quickly pass them to the players when needed.

Despite the tennis rules that may look somewhat challenging and tend to make some players fear the game. You ought to know that the game is quite fair for each player, and I can assume every player has equal chances to make their score.

For instance, making a fault in the game is a straight pass directly to your opponent. But before that, if you are serving, you get two chances to serve, and if you miss both of them, the ball goes to your opponent. As long as you deliver the ball correctly, you may use any tennis stroke strategy in addition to the two service chances you receive.

Furthermore, you have extra balls in your pocket for that reason. If you fail your first serve, you can always get through with the second ball. However, having these additional balls in your holster may seem like additional stress for the player.

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In most cases, players carrying extra tennis balls are playing official matches and sometimes friendly matches. So by the time they qualified for that match, the player must have undergone extensive training that is heavier than the 1.98 to 2.10 ounces tennis balls’ weight.

The dressing shorts for keeping the balls inside come with stretchy fabric that allows the ball to fit in the shorts without adding additional weight to the player. You may feel some extra weight at first but, as you play on the weight will decrease. I think of it like men walking with their wallets in their back pockets. I have never heard of any men complaining about it. 

Some game managements may not be able to check for that requirement of the extra balls. Assuming you are playing an unofficial game and the court is between residential areas. Would you not go looking for your ball if it flew into the neighborhood? What would you do if they were not home? So I believe that carrying the extra ball is purely for your good.

Where Do Female Tennis Players Keep the Ball?

Female tennis players keep the ball in their pockets or tuck them by a ball holder on their waists. However, it depends on the kind of cloth the player will wear to the pitch. Female tennis players can either wear shorts or short skirts. However, the skirts need to have allowances for the balls.

The problem may come if the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) makes amendments to the dress code for the ladies on the pitch; forcing them to wear short dresses or skirts. Presently, the WTA is so particular about the female players wearing whatever they feel comfortable in at the pitch.

In the earlier days, ladies used to wear dresses to the pitch. But one drawback with these is that the dresses had no pockets. Although it somewhat gets challenging, they can always tuck the balls under spandex underneath their outfits.

So, these too for female beginners in the sport can be somewhat difficult to agree with. But they can always get used to it with time, or in case it’s an issue, the lady can always wear a pair of shorts or leggings on the day of the match. These need to be preplanned during practice before the matchday.

It shouldn’t be too difficult for any player since the spandex under the skirts allows for holding an extra ball. There is also a bit of additional protection built into the ball that prevents it from falling off.

Players don’t need to carry extra balls when playing in professional games since there are always ball boys who can keep the balls for them. So it’s a saving grace for ladies that might find it hard moving around with extra ball weight in their pockets.

If you want further knowledge about the subject and some tips on how to hold balls as a female tennis player, check out this article and you will get just that and much more.

How Many Tennis Balls Are Used In a Match?

18 to 25 tennis balls are used in a tennis match. However, this number may vary depending on the type of match and its importance. Tournaments and international games, for instance, can use up to 36 balls.

It is funny that if you need a tennis ball for your dog, tennis pitches should be your first site to get a number of them. And for your information, there won’t be any complaints about you picking any thrown balls. It’s because they are prone to gradual leaks that cause them to go bad easily. So the level of the match might determine the number of balls in use.

So the present balls at the start of a match are always six balls. The number changes after the first seven games and changes again after nine games. One of the reasons for the first change being at seven balls is because the players use the first set of balls for warm-up and still use them for their first set of 7 games.

I have an in-depth article about his subject (find it here) that I recommend you read. There are many important and fascinating things about tennis!

Why Do Tennis Players Check the Ball Before Serving?

Tennis players check the balls before serving to select the best balls that fit their kind of serve. Most players have confessed to using new balls for their first serve, and old balls for the second serve. This is always the case just if the player faults at the first serve.

Have you played any tennis matches before? You should know that when you are determined to win, you will not give a chance to anything that can let you down from winning the game. More so when playing an important game, such as a tournament or a sponsorship game. You will want to make sure everything works out for you. 

So for instance, a first serve means a lot in the game. So it is for this reason that you will often see players checking out their balls. It helps them pick the most fluffy one since it could guarantee an extra speed on the ball. In addition, the balls get changed regularly because ally play could wear down the effective bounce of a ball. In some cases, balls can get worked out by just two rallies, which would make them no longer usable.

When you have the opportunity, it’s good to use a better ball. Moreover, these balls are often changed from time to time, so it’s worth it to get rid of a gross ball. Particularly if the match is played in wet weather or if the player sweats excessively, he will drain his pocket while playing.

As a tennis player, I highly recommend that you also familiarize yourself with the differences between extra and regular duty tennis balls, as they have vital differences that will affect your game and finances.

How Often Do Tennis Players Get New Balls?

Tennis players get new balls after every seven matches. However, this is at the beginning of the session. After the seven games, the next ball replacement is after nine sets and flows the same way throughout a game.

Most tennis balls go bad after three to four playing sessions or after two weeks. Nonetheless, the rate at which they go bad will depend on the intensity of the game and the type of player. A beginner wouldn’t hit a ball as hard as an experienced player.

When you give a new ball to an experienced player and a new one to a beginner, they will both go bad almost at the same time. However, a ball with experienced players is most likely to go bad faster than one with beginners. 

In addition, when the tennis balls are exposed to atmospheric pressure, they tend to go bad easily even when not in use. It is for this reason that tennis balls are stored in pressurized cans. It helps them maintain their firmness, thus retaining their bounciness. However, even such balls will only last for about two years in the pressurized tubes because of very tiny leaks in them.

So by the International Tennis Federation, the replacement of the new balls can be after the nine games period. It will nonetheless depend on the governing body of the immediate match as well as the weather. Whenever it rains, you should replace the tennis balls after a short period, as wet tennis balls are impossible to use. 

You might be interested: What Happens To The Used Tennis Balls After Wimbledon?

Related: How Long Will Tennis Balls Last? (Tennis Ball Guide)

What Difference Do New Balls Make In Tennis?

New tennis balls mark significant differences in speed, power, and spin control. They also have a fast bounce and are very clean. So the players won’t have to deal with older balls that have collected sweat and dirt throughout the game.

Tennis balls wear out with repeated play and lose pressure, becoming softer as a result. You can be sure that once the ball gets softer, its impact with surfaces decreases, and it cannot bounce as it would before. It also gets a real bump in its speed because of its reduced mass.

The ball contacts the racket for longer than it should, affecting the match strategy and service strokes. Therefore, it’s right to replace the old balls with new balls.

Here are some of the differences you should expect in new balls;

• New balls have a guarantee of more power and spin control. It makes it easy for you to strike them in any technique you want because of their harder and springier features.
• Unlike older balls whose hairs are knocked off by racquets and different surfaces, these balls usually have smooth hairs. Therefore, the smooth hairs on new balls make the balls move much faster in the air than the flattened hairs.
• There’s also this myth that new balls bounce faster, thus they can easily lead to a fault for an inexperienced person because of their less grip. This myth explains why most players use new balls for their first serve and fluffy balls for their second serve.
• They prefer that way due to the myth that a fluffy ball is quite slow but manageable. But I disagree with that. I think controlling the balls is more about strategy and using just the right tactic.
• The new balls come very clean and with some level of precision. It can be somewhat tough and frustrating to deal with balls full of dirt, and sweat. Although these factors often alter the nature of the ball, the players may not have much choice but to continue using the current balls until the new ones become available.

Another thing that you should also understand is the reason why tennis balls are in pressurized cans. Check out my article about it, and you will quickly learn why.

Why Do Tennis Players Apologise When They Hit the Net?

Tennis players apologize when they hit the net to show respect to their rival that did not have an equal chance to return the ball. The apology usually takes the form of raising their hands or racquets. 

Your opponent may have apologized, but are they sorry deep down. Let’s talk facts here. As much as it’s good to acknowledge your faults, I think this person could feel relieved or somewhat lucky for hitting the net. It is more likely to happen when you have been too harsh on your opponent, and he happens to be on the brink of losing.

Either way, most players will apologize since it’s the rule of the game, and no one wants to be the bad guy. In addition, your opponent will notice if you apologize or if you fail to apologize. It also happens most frequently in tournaments where the player who hit the net feels lucky but will just do the norm.

But ethically, it’s right to apologize since tennis is a sportsmanship sport that has been in existence since the early 1900s. It’s also a sign of respect.