Men's and women's clothing in tennis – and the ball for second serves

In professional tennis, the men wear shirts and shorts, while the women dresses, or shirts and skirts. While serving, the men put a ball in the pocket of their shorts in case they fault on the first serve, and the women tuck a ball under their skirts or dresses (except for Serena Williams, who doesn't take a second ball until after her first serve, as Pete Sampras also did). In the 1990s, Spanish player Arantxa Sánchez Vicario had a ball holder attached to her skirt instead. But for women who don't like to tuck the ball under their skirt or dress, the solution is actually obvious: have pockets sewn into them. (Andrew Shields, #111words, 6 September 2021)