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4. THE SERVICE
4.1 Play commences with a service and the spin of a racket
decides the right to serve first. Thereafter, the server
continues to serve until losing a rally, whereupon the opponent
becomes the server and this procedure continues throughout the
match. At the commencement of the second and each subsequent
game the winner of the previous game serves first.
4.2 At the beginning of each game and each hand the
server shall choose from which box to serve and thereafter shall
serve from alternate boxes while remaining the server. However,
if a rally ends in a let, the server shall serve again from the
same box.
If the server moves to the wrong box, or either player is
uncertain of the correct box for serving, the Marker shall
announce the correct box. The Referee shall rule on the correct
box if the Marker is uncertain or incorrect, or there is a
dispute.
4.3 To serve, a player shall release the ball from either a hand
or the racket and then strike it. Should the player make no
attempt to strike it after that release, the player shall
release the ball again for that service.
4.4 A service is good if all the conditions in Rules 4.4.1 -
4.4.5 are met:
4.4.1 the server has part of one foot in contact with the
floor within the service box without any part of that foot
touching the service box line (part of that foot may project
over this line if it does not touch the line) at the time of
striking the ball;
4.4.2 the server, after releasing the ball for service,
strikes it correctly on the first or further attempt
before the ball falls to the floor, touches a wall, or touches
anything the server wears;
4.4.3 the server strikes the ball directly onto the front wall
between the service and out lines;
4.4.4 unless volleyed by the receiver, the first bounce of the
ball on the floor is in the quarter court opposite the
server's box without touching the short or half court lines;
4.4.5 the server does not serve the ball out.
4.5 A service which does not meet the requirements of Rules
4.4.1 - 4.4.5 is not good and the Marker shall make the
appropriate call.
The calls are:
"foot-fault" for Rule 4.4.1
"not up" for Rule 4.4.2
"fault" for Rule 4.4.3 if the ball strikes a side wall first
or
the front wall on or below the service line but above the
board
"down" for Rule 4.4.3 if the ball strikes on or below the
board or on the floor
"fault" for Rule 4.4.4
"out" for Rule 4.4.5
A service in which the ball is considered to have struck the
front wall and a side wall simultaneously is not good and is
called "fault".
4.6 The server must not serve until the Marker has completed
calling the score. The Marker must call the score without delay.
If the server serves or attempts to serve prior to the Marker
completing the calling of the score, the Referee shall stop play
and require the server to wait until the Marker has completed
calling the score. |