Rule 4.3 Defective serves

Defective serves are of three types and result in penalties as follows:

A dead-ball serve results in no penalty and the server is given another serve without canceling a prior illegal serve. This occurs when an otherwise legal serve:

1.) Hits partner.

Hits the server's partner on the fly on the rebound from the front wall or from the front wall and a side wall while the server's partner is in the service box. Any serve that touches the floor before hitting the partner in the box is a fault.

2.) Screen balls.

If, in the referee's judgment, the ball passes so close to the server or the server's partner that the receiver's view of the ball is obstructed, a screen should be called. (See Interpretation No. 5). Any otherwise legal serve that passes behind the server's partner, between the partner and the side wall, is an automatic screen.

3.) Straddle balls.

A legally served ball that travels between the legs of the server is an automatic screen.

4.) Court hinders.

If a served ball takes an erratic bounce due to a court obstruction or wetness, a court hinder is called and the serve is replayed. (See Rule 3.4.A.4 )

5.) Broken ball.

If the ball is determined to have broken on the serve, a new ball shall be substituted and the serve shall be replayed, not canceling a prior fault.

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 outside the service zone (See Rule 4.1.C).

b.) The server leaves the service zone before the served ball passes the short line.

c.) In doubles, when the server's partner is not in the service box with both feet on the floor and back to the wall from the time the serve is begun until the ball passes the short line.

2.) Short serve.

Any serve that first hits the front wall and on the rebound hits the floor in front of or on the short line either with or without touching one side wall.

3.) Three-wall serve.

Any serve that first hits the front wall and then hits any two other walls before hitting the floor.

4.) Ceiling serve.

Any serve that hits the front wall first and then touches the ceiling before hitting the floor.

5.) Long serve.

Any serve that first hits the front wall and rebounds to the back wall before touching the floor.

6.) Out-of-court serve.

Any serve that first strikes the front wall and then rebounds out of the court without touching the floor.

7.) Bouncing ball outside service zone.

Any serve that is struck on a bounce that was made outside the service zone. (See Rule 4.1 D)

8.) Not hitting ball on first bounce from a single drop. (See Rule 4.1 D).

9.) Two consecutive screen serves.

Two consecutive screen serves result in a fault. This is the only fault call that cannot be appealed.

Any of the following results in an out:

1.) Missed serve.

Any attempt to strike the ball on the first service bounce that results in a total miss or in the ball touching any part of the server's body other than the striking hand.

2.) Non-front serve.

Any served ball that does not strike the front wall first.

3.) Touched serve.

Any served ball on the rebound from the front wall that touches the server, or touches the server's partner when the partner's foot is outside of the service box.

This includes a serve that is intentionally caught. When the partner is hit by the serve when he is outside the service box,the serve penalty supersedes the partner's foot fault (See Interpretation No. 6).

4.) Two consecutive fault serves. (See Rule 4.3 B).

5.) Crotch serve.

Any serve that hits a crotch in the front wall is an out. All balls hitting the crotch of a wall and the floor shall be considered to have hit the floor first. A serve that rebounds on the fly from the front wall into the crotch of the back wall and the floor is a legal serve, as is a three-wall crotch serve.

6.) Out-of-order serve.

In doubles, when either partner serves out of order, the points scored by that server will be subtracted and an out serve will be called. If the second server serves out of order, the out serve will apply to the first server and the second server will resume serving. If the player designated as the first server serves out of order, a sideout will be called (See Interpretation No. 7).

7.) Service delay.

The server fails to serve the ball within 10 seconds after the referee has announced the score.