Questions tagged [serve]
Questions about serving, the act of starting play. This tag must be combined with the sport in question.
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Tennis rules question regarding serving out of sequence rule
In the UK, the LTA, basically the UK tennis governing body has a rule:
If a player serves out of turn during a standard game, the player who was originally due to serve will serve as soon as the error ...
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Why are tie-breakers considered service games?
If a 5-set match went 6-3, 6-7, 3-6, 7-6, 6-3, then not counting the tiebreaker, 1 player would have served 28 games, the other 25. This is a different of 3 games, which would never happen as players ...
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Tossing second tennis ball after a successful first serve
Some social tennis players hold two balls in their hand when they serve.
If the first serve is successful, they toss the second ball behind them so that it rolls next to the wire fence and is out of ...
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how to serve (start of the rally) prediction in table tennis
I am working on a problem where I need to find the moment of service (start of the rally) in a table tennis game.
start and end of a rally in a game - the moment when a player serves the ball and the ...
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In tennis how to call a service ball close to the intersection of the service lines
What happens in tennis when a ball hits the 'service line' but you are unsure if it also touched the 'central service line' to call it in?
For example in the drawing the player serving must throw the ...
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Was there ever a rule requiring diagonal serve in table tennis singles games?
When I was a kid (born in the mid-70s, in Sweden) and we played (for fun), we required that the serve was diagonal in a table tennis singles game. I've spoken to people all over Europe that applied ...
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What are the rules regarding return of serve in tennis doubles?
I was playing up front in tennis doubles. The server hit a trick shot to my partner in the receiving court. The ball hit in the serve court near the center line, bounced and spun into my side. I ...
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Where can you serve from the sides in table tennis?
Rule 2.6.4 from the ITTF handbook says:
From the start of service until it is struck, the ball shall be above
the level of the playing surface and behind the server's end line, and
it shall not be ...
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Double tennis serve hits opponent purposely [duplicate]
From the video Jelena Ostapenko hits Alize Cornet with a serve and wins point! | Wimbledon 2019, we can see that the serve has given a point. I wonder if they revenge back by serving the tennis ball ...
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Doubles positioning at the net during serve
In doubles (particularly at a 3.0 or 3.5 level), what should the net players consider when choosing where to position during the serve?
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In tennis how to find out the service side in the middle of the game?
I am new to tennis, both as a viewer and a player. I hope this is not the wrong place to ask a beginner question.
So what happens is, after serving the ball I am too invested in the game and I don't ...
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Why don't some people serve from directly behind the line but sometimes one or more meters behind it?
Since most people serve from directly behind the line I was surprised to notice that it's not always the case. Why would someone serve from further back?
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Are underarm serves fair in tennis? If so, why are they looked upon as a means of disrespect?
As my title says all about the question, are underarm serves a fair thing in tennis? Because the reaction of Chris Garin says me otherwise when Alexander Bublik served him an underarm serve.
I was ...
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How do you do a kick serve?
I typically do a hard flat first serve and then a slice second serve, but I'm curious to know the fundamentals behind adding "kick" to a serve for higher bounce.
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Can I bounce the ball before serving in squash?
In squash, while serving, can I drop the ball on the floor from my hand and then hit for the serve on the bounce?
Or is it mandatory to release the ball from the hand and directly hit it from the ...
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Missing the ball after throwing it up to serve in table tennis
Do you lose a point if you throw the ball up during a serve but miss while trying to hit it?
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What are the most serve attempts for a single tennis point?
In Tennis, you usually have 2 attempts for a service.
however under certain circumstances there are more serves made fot one single point, for example when the ball touches the net and then enters ...
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Two-handed "attack" return on a serve?
So I went over the Volleyball Canada rulebook for 2018-2019, but I couldn't find anything about a certain situation that occurs often when I play volleyball with friends/colleagues.
What will ...
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Referee reaction for blocked service
Blocking a service obviously is not allowed and barely present in competitive volleyball. but it is one of the possible errors. how will the main referee show that (as per, brushing finger tips for ...
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Is it ok to stop my serve when I've already started my racquet forward?
In a match last night, I was serving, threw the ball in the air, and started swinging my racquet. Just before I hit the ball, I stopped my racquet and caught it because I didn't like the toss. Did I ...
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Serving over the sideline
As far as I know in table tennis, it is not allowed to serve over the sideline i.e. on the first hit of the ball, it is not allowed that the ball will go over the side of the table on the opponents ...
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Why don't professional squash players give hard serves?
I find it odd that in Squash championships, players don't put much energy into the serve. It seems to me that their serve is about half the speed of their fast shots during the game. Is there any rule ...
user16841
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When is the ball on the correct side in double table tennis serve?
I know that you must serve from server right side to receiver right side and all that. But when exactly is the ball counted as 'in' regarding the middle line. Is it the center of the ball or is it ...
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Can I return a squash serve on the volley?
When my opponent is serving in squash, if I want to return the serve, can I volley this ball back to them? That is, without the ball hitting the floor (opponent serves > front wall > I volley the ball ...
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What are the fundamentals of a serving toss in tennis?
On my tennis serve, how do I properly and consistently do the ball toss?
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Time limit to serve
Is there a time limit within which you have to serve the ball?
I experienced a strange game where one of the players just turned his back (as he was about to serve) to his opponent and said you ...
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In tennis, what is the percentage of broken service games?
Looking at Befair tennis, what is the percentage of broken service games?
If both players are fairly evenly matched, how many times does a player lose his service game?
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Who calls tennis serves in or out when no referee is present?
Regarding doubles match: On our opponent's second serve to me, I called it out. Our opponents contested my call. My partner said she did not see exactly where the ball bounced. Our opponents said ...
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Can you choose to play a fault serve in racquetball?
Scenario: My opponent serves the ball short, but I'm in a good position to return it.
Does a fault serve automatically end the rally? Or can I choose to return the serve and continue the rally?
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What does the ITF rulebook consider to be "the service motion"?
According to Rule 18b of the ITF Rulebook:
During the service motion, the server shall not... touch the baseline or the court with either foot.
What, exactly, constitutes "the service motion"? I ...
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Why do many tennis players crouch-then-uncrouch before receiving a serve?
I’ve been watching quite a lot of tennis this year, and I’ve been noticing a tendency among many professional tennis players—particularly noticeable in women players, for some reason—to crouch down ...
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Tennis movement while opponent is serving?
Our opponent was serving to my partner.
I was moving my feet in place just to keep from being sedentary. Not moving wildly, just kind of shuffle back and forth in place.
The server missed and blamed ...
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Is the ball allowed to hit the receiver's side more than once in a table tennis serve
Upon making a legal serve over the net in table tennis, can the ball hit the receiver's side more than once?
And, if so can it spin back and hit the net on the receiver's side?
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How important is the opening service in a game of badminton?
Background (aka motivation):
In chess, there are only two players. In (singles) badminton too, there are only two players. Both face off against each other.
In chess, each player has a particular play-...
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Doubles serve rules in table tennis
In doubles table tennis does the rules allow you to serve to the side of the table (red line) or only to the end of the table (green line)?
Player B is serving.
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Is it a let in table tennis if the serve lands on the opponents side, but hits the net on it's way back towards the server?
Imagine this, you serve in table tennis with a lot of backspin. So much backspin, that the ball (when served) bounces once on your side then once on your opponents side, but hits the net on it's way ...
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Serve deflected to the left hand court in a doubles match, is it a let?
In a doubles match, is it a let if a serve goes to the left hand court after touching the net?
What if the ball was heading for the right hand court and there was enough spinning to deflect it to ...
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How does the serving and swapping side cycle work after the first set?
I know that when you start a match, you spin the racket or toss a coin and decide who serves first and who goes on what side. If you finish a set that's not a multiple of 4, say 6-3, does the person ...
user13762
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Is it allowed to throw the ball and then catch it again in a table tennis serve?
Suppose a table tennis player goes to serve. They throw the ball but for whatever reason decide not to play it. Instead they catch it with their hand.
Is this a service fault and therefore a point ...
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Is there such a thing as a "body fault" when serving?
We know that a foot fault is when your foot touches the baseline before you make contact with the ball. However, what if your feet are planted, and your toss meets or exceeds the baseline, forcing you ...
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In table tennis, can you serve from the side of the table provided the ball is being hit from outside of the playing surface
Now I know that in TT, you have to serve the ball from behind the table and above the playing surface. My question is, can I stand sideways to the Table and make the serve provided my ball is still ...
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Can an opponent catch the shuttle before it hits the ground on a serve?
I know that when serving I must serve diagnally, but my opponents have a habit of catching the shuttle in midair when they think its going to land in the wrong section. It feels especially unfair when ...
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Why do different genders serve differently?
Why do most female badminton players go for the long service whereas male players go for the short service?
I've observed this in various tournaments including the Rio Olympics. Is more advantageous ...
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Serving Changes in Table Tennis [duplicate]
In table tennis, the serve changes after every 5 serves. But I don't understand that rule.
If A wins a rally, A get 1 point. After that, if B wins a rally, B get 1 point. Now, who should do the next ...
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What are the rules if the receiver isn't ready for the serve in table tennis?
I cannot find mention of anything about the receiver being ready or not when the serve takes place.
I have known a lot of players that hustle the speed of the game somewhat, repeatedly serving when ...
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If a let was considered a valid serve, could it be a useful serving strategy?
If a let was considered a valid serve, would professional tennis players be able to accurately hit the net cord and have the ball drop into the service box, often enough to make it worth while?
Would ...
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In badminton, is it legal to receive a service out of zone?
You have to stand in your receiving rectangle for the service. Does this mean that you cannot leave it until you've properly received and sent back the shuttle?
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Is there a difference between a service winner and an ace in tennis?
As a tennis player and fan myself, this has always been a question that I have wondered about. I know that an ace is when a serve that is in the box goes through untouched. Is a service winner a serve ...
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Why do servers bounce the ball before serving?
I've participated in a volleyball tournament, and noticed that servers (especially those doing overhand serves) bounced the ball twice before starting the serve.
Why do servers do this?
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Is the Doubles Long Service Line active during a Singles match?
What are the rules during serving with respect to the Doubles Long Service Line?
Can I serve beyond that in a Doubles match?
In a Singles match?
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