New balls refers to the moment when the umpire replaces the used tennis balls with fresh ones. Tennis balls lose their fuzzy felt and internal pressure as they are hit repeatedly. This makes them fly slower and bounce differently than they did at the start. In professional matches, officials change the balls after a specific number of games played. The first change usually happens after seven games to account for the pre-match warmup period. Every following change occurs after nine games until the end of the competition. Fresh balls are harder, faster, and much easier to spin for the serving player. For example, the umpire will call out new balls please to notify the ball kids and players. This signal tells the server they have a temporary advantage due to the extra speed. Players often check the fuzz on the balls to find the fastest one.
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