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A Serving Of Tennis Rules

Tennis is a fun sport for beginners and professionals, and the basic rules apply for all levels of the game. Learning these rules is the first step to playing a winning game.

Serve and Receive

One of the important rules for playing tennis is to determine who serves first. One player spins the racquet and the other chooses "up" or "down". In other words, whether the words on the racquet will face up or face down. The player who wins the call has the option of choosing to serve first, or choosing which side of the net to play.

Here's an example to help you understand: Let's say player A wins the call and decides to serve. Then, player B is able to choose which court to play. Player A stands to the right of the center mark behind the baseline and serves the ball into Player B's right service court. Player A gets to serve twice.

Fault

A fault is any disobedience of tennis rules. In addition, there are some other possible faults. When a player swings and misses the ball, when a player hits the ball into the net and when the ball bounces into the service court but hits the net post or any other permanent fixture. Should a player steps on or over the baseline before the racquet hits the ball, it is called a "foot fault". The player may, however, step on or over the line after the racquet contacts with the ball. Here is one word of advice: leaning over the line without touching it during a serve is absolutely legal.

Let Service

A let service can be called when a player serves a ball and the ball skims over the top of the net but still goes into the service court of the opponent; or a player serves the ball into the service court of the opponent before the opponent is ready. The let service is not considered a fault and does not count as one of their two serves. If a player tosses the ball and catches it without swinging at it, it doesn't count as a serve and the player may take it over as per the rules for tennis.

Following the first point, the player serves from the left of the center mark for the second point and must serve the ball into the opponent's left service court. After the next point, the server moves back to the right and remains server throughout the game, changing the position after each point is played. The receiver or opponent can select any position he or she wants.

If the receiver tells the server that they are not ready yet still attempts to return the service and fails, the receiver is considered ready and the server scores a point. It is also a point against the receiver if they strike a service during the server's volley before the ball has had time to bounce. After the service, the server or the receiver can hit the ball either on a volley or following a bounce.

Other rules for playing tennis where a player can lose a point after service include the following: A player racket or article of clothing touches the net; if the player hits the ball more than once; if the ball touches the player or clothing; if the player plays the ball before it passes over the net; if a player tosses a racket at the ball and hits it.

A ball is still considered playable when the ball lands on either the baseline or sideline, when a player returns a ball that has hit the top of the net and landed on the proper court, and when a returned ball hits the net post and lands in the proper court. Players using the court where the ball lands are free to determine whether the ball is in or out.

The rules of tennis are concrete and fundamental rules, but they may vary slightly in professional tournaments and championships.