BASIC RULES OVERVIEW

Game is played in singles or doubles, rules are same for both

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DETERMINING SERVING TEAM

Players use a coin toss to determine who will serve first. The winner of the coin toss will have the option to choose side, to serve or to receive.

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THE SERVE

• Serves are made underhand only

• Paddle contact with ball must be below the server’s waist

• One foot behind the baseline & neither foot may contact the baseline or court until after ball is struck

• The serve is made diagonally cross-court and must land within the confines of the opposite diagonal court

• Only one serve attempt is allowed, except in the event of a let (LET: the ball touches the net on the serve and lands on the proper service court)

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SERVICE SEQUENCE

• Both players on serving doubles team have the opportunity to serve and score points until they commit a fault (except for 1st service sequence of each new game)

• 1st serve of each side-out is made from right-hand court

• If a point is scored, the server switches sides and the server initiates the next serve from left-hand court

• As subsequent points are scored, the server continues switching back and forth until a fault is committed and the

• 1st server loses the serve

• When the 1st server loses the serve, the partner then serves from their correct side of the court

• The 2nd server continues serving until his team commits a fault and loses the serve to the opposing team

• Once the service goes to the opposition, the 1st serve is from the right-hand court and both players on that team have the opportunity to serve and score points until their team commits two faults

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SINGLES

• Server serves from the right-hand court when score is even and left-hand court when score is odd

• At the beginning of each new game, only one partner on the serving team has the opportunity to serve before faulting, after which the service passes to the receiving team

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SCORING

• Points are scored only by the serving team

• Games are normally played to 11 points (win by 2)

• When the serving team’s score is even, the player who was the first server in the game for that team will be in the right-side court when serving or receiving. When points are odd, that player will be left-side court

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DOUBLE-BOUNCE RULE

• When ball is served, receiving team must let it bounce before returning, then the serving team must let it bounce before returning (2 bounces)

• After the ball has bounced once in each team’s court, both teams may either volley the ball (hit the ball before it bounces) or play it off a bounce (ground stroke)

• The double bounce rule eliminates the serve and volley advantage and extends rallies

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THE NON-VOLLEY ZONE (AKA: THE KITCHEN)

• The court area within 7 feet on both sides of the net

• Volleying is prohibited within the non-volley zone. This rule prevents players from executing smashes from a position within the zone

• Fault: If a player steps on the non-volley zone when volleying a ball. This includes the line and/or when the player’s momentum causes them or anything they are wearing/carrying to touch the non-volley zone (including the associated lines)

• If a player touches the non-volley zone after volleying the ball, then the ball is declared dead

• A player may legally be in the non-volley zone any time other than when volleying a ball

• The non-volley zone is referred to as “the kitchen”

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LINE CALLS

A ball contacting any line, except the non-volley zone line on a serve, is considered “in.” A serve contacting the non-volley zone line is a short fault

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FAULTS

• Faults are actions that stop play because of rule violations

• A fault by the receiving team is a point for the serving team

• A fault by the serving team results in the server’s loss of serve or side out

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A FAULT OCCURS WHEN

• A serve does not land within the confines of receiving court

• Ball is hit into the net on the serve or any return

• Ball is volleyed before a bounce has occurred on each side

• Ball is hit out of bounds

• Ball is volleyed from the non-volley zone

• Ball bounces twice before being struck by the receiver

• A player, player’s clothing, or any part of a player’s paddle touches the net or the net post when the ball is in play

• There is a violation of a service rule

• Ball in play strikes a player or anything the player is wearing/carrying

• Ball in play strikes any permanent object before bouncing on the court