Four-wall · Part 4 Play Regulations.
Rule 4.3 Defective serves
There are four types of defective serves which result in the following:
A dead-ball serve results in no penalty and the server is given another serve without canceling a prior defective 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 (including before the serve has become a legal serve) a court hinder is called and the serve is replayed. (See Rule 3.4.A.4 )
2) Broken ball. If the ball is determined to have broken before the serve has become a legal serve, an approved ball must be put into play and the serve shall be replayed. (See Rule 4.6.J)
3) Wrong score announced. If it is determined the wrong score has been announced by the referee before the serve has become a legal serve the score shall be corrected and the serve shall be replayed. Any prior rallies shall not be affected.
A screen serve call stops play, and the server gets another serve. Two consecutive screen serves result in a “fault.”
1) 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. Also, if the served ball hits the server’s partner on the fly rebounding from the front wall or from the front wall and a side wall while the server’s partner is in a legal position within the service box, it shall be treated as a screen serve. It is also a screen when any otherwise legally served ball passes behind the server’s partner, between the partner and the nearer side wall.
Interpretation
The receiver standing in the center of the rear court, two to four feet from the back wall, should have a clear view of the served ball as it rebounds from the front wall when it is approximately five feet in front of the service zone. This is a difficult call because there will be instances in which the receiver will be screened, but the ball has been hit so high that it is going to result in a back-wall setup and the receiver will have time to get into a good position to attempt his/her shot. The screen serve, like any other hinder, is based on interference affecting the play. In the case just mentioned, there is initial interference, but the receiver still has time to get into good position so that the momentary screen will not affect the play. In such a case, the referee should not make the call too quickly, but should watch the reaction of the receiver. If the referee feels that the receiver hesitates getting into position, a screen should be called. If, however, the receiver moves quickly and obviously is going to have time to get into good position for a back-wall shot, the screen should not be called.
The receiver should be given the benefit of any doubt so long as his/her receiving position is in the center of the court. However, if the receiver positions himself/herself to one side of center or anticipates the serve is going to be hit to one side and moves in that direction too quickly, and the serve is hit to the opposite side, a screen should not be called. It is also important that the referee attempt to position himself/herself in the middle of the balcony whenever possible so that he/she will have the same angle of view as the receiver. The best answer to this dilemma is: When in doubt, call a screen.
2) Straddle balls. A legally served ball that travels between the legs of the server is an automatic screen.
The following serves are fault serves, and any two that are hit consecutively 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.
c) In doubles, when the server’s partner is not in the service box with both feet on the floor and his/her back to the nearer side wall from the time the serve is begun until the ball passes through the plane of the back edge of 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.
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) Bounces. Any serve that is struck on less than, or more than, a single bounce in the service zone. (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.
10) Not coming to a complete stop in the service zone before beginning the serve (See Rule 4.1D).
Any of the following results in an out:
1) Missed serve. Any attempt to hit the ball that results in a total miss, or in the ball touching any part of the server’s body other than the hitting 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, before bouncing on the floor, that touches the server, or touches the server’s partner when both of the partner’s feet are not touching the floor inside the service box or when the partner is not standing erect with his/her back to the nearer side wall. This includes a serve that is intentionally caught. When the partner is hit by the serve when he/she is not in the legal position, the out serve penalty supersedes the partner’s foot fault.
Interpretation
Even though the foot fault occurs before the out serve, the out serve penalty takes precedence and shall be enforced. Another example: A server foot faults when contacting the ball and the ball does not hit the front wall first. Again, the out serve penalty should be enforced. For this reason, a referee should wait until after the ball is served to call a foot fault. In doubles, the server should not be called out if his/her partner intentionally catches the ball in self defense. However, if the server’s partner catches a served ball that otherwise would not have hit him/her, an out is the proper call.
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 since the out of order serving commenced 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.
Interpretation
If the referee is doing a proper job, there should be no out-of-order serves. The referee should keep the players informed as to which player is the server. If the referee sees that a player is about to serve out of order, the referee should immediately stop the player from serving and inform the team as to which player should be the server. If, however, a player does serve out of order, the “out-of-order” rule shall apply.
7) Service delay. The server fails to hit the ball within 10 seconds after the referee has announced the score.
Mentioned here
- Server (actor)
- Receiver (actor)
- Player (actor)
- Partner (actor)
- Referee (actor)
- Serve (action)
- Rally (action)
- Hinder (action)
- Replay (action)
- Fault serve (action)
- Out serve (action)
- Short serve (action)
- Long serve (action)
- Three-wall serve (action)
- Foot fault (action)
- Delay of game (action)
- Appeal (action)
- Court (place)
- Front wall (place)
- Back wall (place)
- Side wall (place)
- Ceiling (place)
- Short line (place)
- Service zone (place)
- Receiving line (place)
- Ball (thing)
- Point (concept)
- Doubles (concept)
- Three-wall (game)
- Service box (place)
- Clock (thing)