I've been watching Wimbledon, and wondering why players study a bunch of balls before rejecting most of them before they serve. Well, it seems like the question has been asked before, and The Guardian has come up with a convincing answer.
It's all to do with hairy balls. Newer, less-used tennis balls tend to be smoother, with flattened-down hair, while balls that have been bashed around for a while are fluffier. Smoother, newer balls go faster, but it is harder to get a "grip" on the ball, so accuracy may suffer. This is the kind of ball most players would choose for a first serve, where some risks can be taken in the hope of a quick, easy point. The older, fluffier balls will often be chosen for a second serve, where accuracy and control is more at a premium, and there is less room for error.
So, there you go: study your balls before you serve. You know iplpppp
makes sense.
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