What tennis pros look at when they pick a ball

It all comes down to fluff.

Before each serve, most professional tennis players go through a ritual to get in the zone. Novak Djokovic will bounce the ball with his racket, then with his hand. Rafael Nadal will usually pull his shorts and the sleeves around his shoulders, then touch his nose and tuck his hair behind his ears. All very distinct routines. But there’s one tennis ritual nearly every pro tennis player does: choosing a specific tennis ball. A common belief among players is that the ball they choose can help them win.

But there’s real physics at play behind this ritual — and It all comes down to the fuzz. For a faster serve, players try to find a compact ball. For a slower serve, they feel for more fuzz. The idea is that a fluffier ball is more likely to be slowed by drag as it travels through the air — and that choosing the right level of fuzz can help the serving player defeat their opponent.

[unclemax]

Rafael Nadal's "bordering on OCD" rituals can be a topic on its own.

[DLCpersian]

"Bigger juicier fluffier ball"

"There are no accidents"
- Master Oogway

[mrarmaan]

They really got a NASA research engineer for a tennis ball breakdown!

[rizkybraymango]

This channel is slowly becoming like Ted-Ed.. *they answering the question that my brain decided to think at 3am when I falls-asleep*

[AthleticInterest]

"But does fluff actually make a difference?"
YouTube content at its best 😃🎾

[davidseb]

Why am I just learning that Michael Kosta was a professional tennis player!?!?

[Doitch]

I shave my armpits before a fight, thus making me more aerodynamic.

[finlayperry]

Props for getting Medvedev and Patrick Mouratoglou in one video those are big names

[LeventK]

I have never played tennis nor I will but this information is interesting.

[DenLim]

The most shocking part about the video is that Michael kosta was a professional tennis player, I would never have expected it 😂

[tomsriver]

You know it's serious when NASA gets involved.

[SeanMather]

I am highly amused by how the whole video goes on about how important picking the ball is, etc etc, and then right at the end Serena Williams proves how unimportant all that is by not giving a single thought about what ball she plays. 😂

[SA-vldr]

"If it makes them feel better, then they play better"

[MarkWTK]

1:10 _try to find a ball with less hair because it will go faster. You don't want a big ball with a lot of humidity in it_

I'll keep this in mind when the circumstances arise👌

[Naaajus]

I can't believe the number of huge personalities your team got for this video on tennis ball fluff, its incredible

[ashwin]

We tennis players are a superstitious bunch. I always run my hand through my hair, bounce the ball 7 times if its a first serve and 5 times if its a second serve. A lot of people don't realise how much of a mental sport tennis is. That's why we try make routines that keep us concentrated and our heads clear.

[LionHeartSamy]

I am disappointed that Michael Kosta is not sitting in the room where he has a framed picture of himself in the background for this interview

[georgesos]

False Title.
The correct one is : "Michael Kosta is a tennis player, for real."

[SparkFromWithin]

I thought you were making a skit when you brought Michael Kosta, but turns out he's the real deal. 😂

[octaviews]

Shouting in the middle of a match!
"HEY NADAL, HAVE YOU CLOSED THE DOOR?"