Section 5: Rules of Play
The Service (ITF Rules of Tennis 2026, Rules 16–19)
Rule 16 – Choice of Ends and Service: The choice of ends and the right to be server or receiver in the first game shall be decided by toss before the warm-up starts. The player winning the toss may choose to serve, receive, or start at a particular end. The opponent shall then exercise their remaining choices.
Rule 17 – Service Action: The server shall stand behind the baseline, between the centre mark and the sideline. The server shall then release the ball (from the hand that is not holding the racket) and hit it with the racket before the ball hits the ground. The service is completed at the moment of impact with the racket. The server's feet may not touch the baseline or the court inside the baseline before the ball is struck (foot fault, Rule 18).
Rule 18 – Foot Fault: During the service, the server shall not:
- Change position by walking or running, although slight movements of the feet are permitted
- Touch, with either foot, any area other than that behind the baseline within the imaginary extensions of the centre mark and sideline
Rule 19 – Service in/out: The served ball must land in the diagonally opposite service box (right service box when serving from the right, left service box when serving from the left). The ball must pass over the net; if it touches the net cord and lands correctly in the service box, it is a let (Rule 22) and the serve is replayed. A service that does not land in the correct service box is a fault.
The server has two attempts to serve correctly per point. The first unsuccessful serve is a fault; the second is a double fault, and the receiver wins the point.
The Return of Service and General Play (Rules 20–27)
Rule 20 – Server wins the point: The server wins the point if:
- The served ball, not being a let, touches the receiver or anything they wear or carry before it hits the ground
- The receiver fails to return the service
Rule 21 – Receiver wins the point: The receiver wins the point if the server commits a double fault, or if the server fails to make a valid service action.
Rule 24 – A player loses the point: A player loses the point if:
- The player fails to return the ball before it bounces twice on their side (Rule 24a)
- The player returns the ball so that it hits the ground, a permanent fixture, or other object outside the correct court (Rule 24b)
- The player volleys the ball before it has passed the net (Rule 24c)
- The player deliberately carries or catches the ball on the racket or deliberately touches it with the racket more than once (Rule 24d)
- The player or their racket (whether in hand or not) or anything that the player wears or carries touches the net, net posts, cord or metal cable, strap, or band or the opponent's court at any time during play of a point (Rule 24e/f)
- The player hits the ball before it has passed the net (Rule 24g)
- The ball in play touches the player or anything they wear or carry, except the racket (Rule 24h)
- The ball in play touches the racket when the player is not holding it (Rule 24i)
- The player deliberately and materially changes the shape of the racket during play (Rule 24j)
Rule 25 – A good return: It is a good return if:
- The ball touches the net, net posts/singles sticks, cord, metal cable, strap, or band and passes over them and hits the ground within the correct court
- The ball, served or returned, hits the ground within the correct court and bounces back over the net; the player may then reach over the net to play the ball provided they do not touch the net or the opponent's court
- A player's racket passes over the net after hitting the ball on their own side of the net and the ball lands in the correct court
- A player manages to return a ball that has struck another ball lying in the court
Rule 26 – Interference: If a player is hindered in making a stroke by anything not under the player's control, except a permanent fixture of the court, a let shall be played. If a player is hindered by something under their own control, no let is allowed.
Service Rotation (Doubles, Rule 14)
In doubles, the pair that serves in the first game of each set shall decide which partner shall serve. Similarly, the opposing pair shall decide which partner shall serve in the second game. Partners shall serve alternately throughout the set. The order of serving may not be changed during a set but may be changed at the beginning of each set. The same order of service shall apply during a match tiebreak.
Changing Ends (Rule 5)
Players change ends at the end of the first, third, and every subsequent odd game of each set. Players also change ends at the end of each set unless the total number of games in that set is even, in which case the change of ends shall take place at the end of the first game of the next set.