Tennis serve bounce - spin doubles, speed halfs, why?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the physics of tennis serve bounces, specifically how a tennis ball's speed reduces significantly after bouncing while its spin increases. A flat high-speed serve can leave the racket at 130 mph but slows to approximately 70 mph upon reaching the opponent, primarily due to aerodynamic drag and court surface interaction. The introduction of advanced string technology has enhanced topspin on serves, particularly second serves, mitigating speed loss during the bounce. Additionally, the court surface type plays a crucial role in the ball's speed reduction post-bounce.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of tennis ball physics
  • Familiarity with aerodynamic drag principles
  • Knowledge of tennis court surfaces and their characteristics
  • Awareness of string technology in tennis equipment
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the effects of court surfaces on tennis ball behavior
  • Explore advanced string technologies used in modern tennis racquets
  • Study the physics of spin in tennis, including topspin and backspin
  • Learn about the impact of aerodynamic drag on sports equipment
USEFUL FOR

Tennis players, coaches, sports scientists, and anyone interested in the mechanics of tennis serves and ball dynamics.

Skhandelwal
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First of all, can someone delete my table tennis post? Second, why does a tennis ball in a serve right after it bounces reduces its speed to half and increases its spin to double?
 
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The speed isn't lost by half, but it does slow down a lot. I remember reading that a tennis ball from a flat high speed serve leaving the racket at 130mph, is down to 70mph by the time it's struck by the returning player, aerodynamic drag is part of this, and the bounce off the court is the rest. A "slow" court surface slows the ball down more than a "fast" court surface.

With the new string technology, serves have more topspin than before, especially second serves, and the speed loss from the bounce is not as great. Unlike table tennis, the surface speed of the ball from spin won't be faster than the speed of the ball, except for backspin (slice) shots.

I responded to your table tennis post, it might be interesting to some here.
 
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