Rule 4.3 Defective Serves

Defective serves are of four 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 in the following situations:

1) Court hinders. If a served ball takes an erratic bounce due to a court obstruction or wetness (before the serve has become a legal serve), a court hinder is called and the serve is replayed (See Rule 3.4A4 and 4.7A1).

2) Broken ball. The ball is determined to have broken on the serve, a new ball shall be substituted and the serve shall be replayed.

A hinder serve call stops play and the server gets another serve (See Rule 4.3C6).

1) Moving on service. The server or his partner moves out of the way of a legally served ball from the wall, hinder may be called not voiding any previous faults. This call, like any other hinder, is based on interference affecting the play (See Interpretation No. 5). If there is initial interference, but the receiver still has time to get into good position, a hinder should not be called. In such a case the referee should not make his call too quickly. He should watch the reaction of the receiver. The receiver should be given the benefit of any doubt, as long as he is properly positioned (See Rule 4.3C6).

2) Straddle balls. A legally served ball that travels between the legs of the server is an automatic hinder serve.

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 4.1C).

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 outside the side lines, astraddle the indicated service line, or enters the playing zone before the served ball passes him (See Rule 4.2B).

2) Short serve. Any serve that first hits the wall and on the rebound hits the floor in front of or on the short line, on or between the side lines.

3) Long serve. Any serve that first hits the wall and on the rebound hits the floor in back of the long line and on or between the side lines. During tournament play, receiver (S) must not catch a serve that is assumed will be long. Referee will award a point for failure to return.

4) Bouncing ball outside service zone. Any serve that is struck on a bounce that was made outside the service

zone (See Rule 4.1D).

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

6) Two consecutive hinder serves. Two consecutive "hinder serves" result in a fault (See 4.3B1). This, and the hinder fault, are the only two fault calls that cannot be appealed (See Rule 4.75).

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 wall first.

3) Touched serve. Any served ball on the rebound from the wall that touches the server, or touches the server's partner. This includes a serve that is intentionally caught. When the partner is hit by the serve, the "out serve" penalty supersedes the partner's foot fault (See Interpretation No. 6).

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

5) Crotch serve. Any serve that hits the crotch of the wall and the floor shall be considered to have hit the floor first.

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.

8) Wall edge. The top edge of the wall, if any, is not part of the court. A ball striking the top edge is an out.

9) Outside serve. Any serve that, on the rebound from the wall, hits the floor outside of the side lines is an out against the serving side. During tournament play, receivers must not catch serves that they assume to be out. Referee will award point for failure to return.