The Three Ball Rule

[Cindysphinx]

I am curious about the Code's requirement that if the server wants three balls, the opponent shall oblige.

What is the reason for this rule? I'm having trouble imagining a situation where there could be a dispute about this. If I have two balls, I'm ready to serve.

[Budgerigar]

im usually combative on court, but i hand 3rd ball over if wanted. they deserve choice best 2 balls.

[Budgerigar]

also, not if ball roll way over there, im not getting everytime i'll get pissed.

[jagsv650]

Some players want to serve with the same ball they just served with if it was a good serve and some just want to pick and choose which ball to serve with. I don't mind it as long as it's within reason and doesn't kill the flow of the game to much. Late in a match sometimes I apriciate my opponent giving me extra time between points becasue he wants the third ball.

[Mountain Ghost]

It’s a wannabe thing . . . pretending they’re so precise in what they do that it makes a difference anyway. Of course, if they ARE a pro, I would withdraw my last remark.

MG

[Huppe]

Some people, I'm sure, want three balls in hand so if there is a let they will still have enough to serve the point without waiting for a ball. This is particularly true, I imagine, for a second serve let where retrieving a ball can ice the server between his or her two serves. I, for one, don't want to be holding two balls when I get my first serve in so never ask for the third, as most don't. But I bet that is the reason for the rule, not merely to allow for choosing a ball or encouraging superstition, though I know people do it for both reasons.

[tennis-n-sc]

I don't know why, but I do like having the balls on my side of the court when serving. Since I only play doubles, I want two and my partner holds one. I just like to know where they are. :)

[Bagumbawalla]

Whenever you watch professional players, they will often go through several balls before they find the one they want. Why they want a particular ball may vary.

[mucat]

I want to have all the balls, at least 6!!! That's why I wear baggy pants with huge pockets, I will be pissed if my opponent only gives me 5!!!!

[drakulie]

Try playing a match with two balls and see how much of a pain it is compared to three balls.....That third ball makes a huge difference in the flow of a match. The server shoud not have to be hindered because they are chasing balls or trying to find the balls.

For me, it is a matter of keeping track of the balls. Many players are extremely absent minded and allow balls to roll over to other courts and don't retrieve them. Two points later the ball is lost, and you are stuck playing the rest of the match with two balls.

[mucat]

I thought it's healthy and normal to have two...please do not post pics to prove me wrong...

[Solat]

we only get two to play with, don't know any other way

(training is diff obviously)

[Cindysphinx]

But why would there have to be a rule about it? If the server, who controls the pace of play, says, "Hey, toss me that third ball, will ya?" why would anyone fight this?

Me, I never, ever want three balls. Having two balls under your shorts makes your butt look that much bigger. :)

[Bagumbawalla]

CS,

When you see how people (for example the etiquette question) rant on and make an issue out of the most trivial stuff-- you can't see why there should be a rule.

I'm surprised there aren't more rules.

[alcap26]

I like using the Slazenger Wimbeldon Ultra Vis 4 ball packs so you are not always chasing that third ball around. It is so much more convient to have the 4th ball. I do not think I could play with just 2 balls. I like having the 4 balls but I can easily do three.

[10sguy]

Strange; All these - 14 - posts and no one has even bothered to look up and post/quote what The Code has to say on this subject (listed under "Serving").

23. Servers request for third ball. When a server requets three balls, the receiver should comply when the third ball is readily available. Distant balls shall be retreived at the end of a game.

No, go ahead and discuss how to define "distant" if you want!

[cak]

I like to know where all the balls are on the court. I don't want one blowing underfoot, or flying in from a "helpful" outside person. I don't mind holding all three, but I really don't like them sitting on the court. (Or even worse, in my partner's hand. If you won't stuff them in your shorts get a skirt with pockets!)

[Redflea]

I used to always want all three, and kept two in my pocket - and this was back in the days of short shorts! Wasn't anything but a habit I developed, and have shed over the years. Now I don't really care where the third ball is, as long as I can see it and it isn't a danger to me or my doubles partner if I'm playing doubles, or my opponent(s).

I play w/all types, some who are like I used to be, gotta have all three, others who piss me off when they sometimes serve w/only one ball and have to wander around the court to find a second if they miss their first serve. :)

I do have a new superstition related to this...it's that when my opponent hits the third ball over to me, I need to touch the ball w/my racquet on its way to the back fence for good luck. I really do it to control the pace of the ball so it doesn't rebound off the fence back at me, but over time I've also started to feel like it's some sort of good luck charm as well...weird what we allow our brains to do to us... :D

[Sagittar]

i never thought it was illegai in the first place and i don't know why i think that the thred got off topic a little :D

[tennis-n-sc]

I like to know where all the balls are on the court. I don't want one blowing underfoot, or flying in from a "helpful" outside person. I don't mind holding all three, but I really don't like them sitting on the court. (Or even worse, in my partner's hand. If you won't stuff them in your shorts get a skirt with pockets!)

I'm afraid of the skirt with pockets suggestion. I'd be the butt of jokes at the Saturday Morning Men's social.;) However, you do bring up good points about knowing where the balls are. In addition, having the balls on my side of the court prevents delays on lets and other situations. Even when the other team is serving, I get the balls back to their court after each point whether they have been requested or not. My idea here is to let them keep up with their own. Funny how we develop our own little quirks.:)

[Bagumbawalla]

One reason, I believe, that is it written into the rules, is that there are some players who will take a new ball and keep it in his/her pocket until the opponent gets used to the slower serves from the fluffed-up balls. Then at, possibly, a critical moment the ball hoarder produces the new ball and serves a surprisingly fast first serve.

It's interesting that the rule mentions the number "3", and isn't writen to allow the server to call for all the balls (no matter how many) to be availalable for his use or inspection.

[Cindysphinx]

I like one up the skirt (on the left, if you must know) and one in my hand. I want my partner to hold the third. I'd prefer that it not be on the court because I find it distracting. I absolutely cannot have them behind me because I will find myself glancing about for it as I run backward to chase a lob.

I've noticed that in mixed doubles, my male partner always seems surprised when I bat the third ball over to him to hold.

Dudes, it's awkward for me to have all three balls. Either I have two on the left (so one might fall out) or I have one on both sides (which is unattractive and gets in the way when I'm playing).

Thanks for listening, fellas. :)

[cak]

or I have one on both sides (which is unattractive and gets in the way when I'm playing).


There was a lady at our club that would put a ball on each side. The first time she did it she was wearing orange. We started calling her Oompa Loompa (Okay, you need to be old enough to remember the original Willie Wonka movie..) Yeah, unattractive is a nicer way to put it. I personally love the lady we play from another club that takes one of those plastic ball clips and clips the extra ball right in the middle of the FRONT of her waistband. Talk about a target!