Fault serve

The short version

A defective serve that gives the server a second chance.

From the rulebook

Fault serves The following serves are fault serves, and any two that are hit before a legal serve is executed result in an out: 1.) Foot fault. a.) The server begins the service motion with one or both feet touching the floor outside the service zone (See Rule 4.1.C ). b.) The server‘s foot touches the floor outside the service zone before the served ball passes through the plane of the back edge of the short line from the wall. c.) In doubles, when the server’s partner is not outside the side l…

— One-wall · Rule 4.3 Defective serves

How to do it

How to avoid a fault serve

1. Any two fault serves hit before a legal serve result in an out.

   One-wall 4.3(c) (rule)

2. Begin the service motion with both feet inside the service zone; starting with a foot touching the floor outside it is a foot fault.

   One-wall 4.3(c) (rule)

3. Keep your feet in the service zone until the served ball passes through the plane of the back edge of the short line.

   One-wall 4.3(c) (rule)

4. Come to a complete stop in the service zone before beginning the serve.

   One-wall 4.3(c) (rule)

5. Bounce the ball once in the service zone and strike it on that bounce. Striking it on a bounce made outside the zone, or on less or more than a single bounce, is a fault.

   One-wall 4.3(c) (rule)

6. One-wall: the serve must not land, on the rebound from the wall, in front of or on the short line (a short serve), or in back of the long line (a long serve).

   One-wall 4.3(c) (rule)

7. Four-wall: after hitting the front wall, the serve must not land in front of or on the short line, hit two other walls before the floor, touch the ceiling, reach the back wall before the floor, or leave the court before touching the floor.

   Four-wall 4.3(c) (rule)

8. One-wall doubles: the server's partner must stand outside the side lines, astraddle the service line, and not enter the playing zone until the served ball passes.

   One-wall 4.3(c) (rule)

9. Four-wall doubles: the server's partner must stand in the service box with both feet on the floor and back to the nearer side wall, from the start of the serve until the ball passes the short line.

   Four-wall 4.3(c) (rule)

10. One-wall: two consecutive hinder serves result in a fault.

    One-wall 4.3(c) (rule)

11. After a fault, the referee announces “second serve”, and you must serve within 10 seconds.

    One-wall 4.1(e) (rule)

Where it shows up

20 rules

• One-wall · Rule 3.6 Line judges Rule 3.6 B…o call “out” the balls that hit the floor or the wall off the court and to call faults on their respective lines as they occur. The short line judge may call skip bal…
• One-wall · Rule 3.7 Appeals Rule 3.7 A · Rule 3.7 BAppealable calls Any player may appeal a short or other service fault. Any player may also appeal receiving line violations. If the server appeals a …
• One-wall · Rule 4.1 Serve Rule 4.1 C · Rule 4.1 E…he served ball passes the short line from the wall. Violations are called “foot faults.” ( See Rule 4.3 C.1 . ).
• One-wall · Rule 4.2 Doubles Rule 4.2 B…he playing zone until the served ball passes him. A violation is called a “foot fault.”
• One-wall · Rule 4.3 Defective serves Rule 4.3 Intro · Rule 4.3 A · Rule 4.3 B · Rule 4.3 C · Rule 4.3 D Defective serves are of four types and result in the following:
• One-wall · Rule 4.5 Changes of serve Rule 4.5 BFault serves The server makes two fault serves before executing a legal serve under Rule 4.3…
• One-wall · Rule 4.6 Rally Rule 4.6 L…ally is replayed for any reason, the server is awarded two serves. All previous defective serves are voided.
• One-wall · Rule 4.7 Dead-ball Hinders Rule 4.7 D…. Whenever a dead-ball hinder is called, the rally is replayed and any previous fault on the server is voided.
• One-wall · Rule 4.75 Hinder Fault Rule 4.75 Intro…inder called by the referee, the serving side starts the ensuing service with a fault, except as stated in Rule 4.3 B.
• One-wall · Rule 4.10 Timeouts Rule 4.10 A…ut not after the referee has announced the score, called “second serve” after a fault serve, or called “first/second serve, one hinder serve” after a hinder serve. Timeout…
• Four-wall · Rule 3.7 Appeals Rule 3.7 A · Rule 3.7 BAppealable calls Any player may appeal a short or other service fault. Any player may also appeal receiving line violations. If the server appeals a …
• Four-wall · Rule 4.1 Serve Rule 4.1 C · Rule 4.1 E…e zone until the served ball passes the short line. Violations are called “foot faults.” (See Rule 4.3.C.1)

Ref questions

All Serve questions (40) · All Serve depth questions (21)