Why do tennis players get three balls and then chuck one away before serving??

@sbksat (355)
India
June 29, 2007 8:24am CST
I hope many of you would have noticed this. I just wonder why almost all players do it???
1 person likes this
4 responses
30 Jun 07
i think it's just for checking what the balls are like...if they like the look of them XD...or if they have the right ammount of skin/fur/the green stuff/ on the ball, because it can effect the spin of the ball and the bounce on it
1 person likes this
30 Jun 07
According to my knowledge they will check the hardness of the ball. it will be useful while serving. For the long serve may be they go for hard ball or vice versa. that may be the reason.
@yiyun_h (183)
• United States
30 Jun 07
i notice that but never know why. you answer sounds jsut reasonable. thanks!
@lilaclady (28207)
• Australia
29 Jun 07
I don't watch a lot of tennis but I have seen a fair bit in my time and I must say I have never noticed that, do they all do that or just a couple that you have noticed, I hope someone in here has an answer for us...very interesting.
@stealthy (8181)
• United States
1 Jul 07
As the other responses have indicated it is to check the balls inorder to find the best one before serving. They want to be sure the ball is good, sometimes a ball can be broken or may have gone flat. Also, they want one that is not ruffed up because it will go through the air faster and allow them to get a harder, faster serve. You may have noticed that most players are not so particular about the ball for the second serve when they care more about getting it in than about serving so hard and fast.