Serving in doubles tennis is very similar to serving in a singles match. There are a few extra considerations because of the presence of two players on each side and the increased width of the court. The extra rules concern what to do if a served ball strikes the server's partner or receiver's partner, and where the server is allowed to stand while serving.
The Serving Team
In doubles, the first team to serve may decide which partner serves first. The player who served the first game will not serve the third game; his partner will. The two partners will take turns serving in that manner each time it is their team's turn to serve. If a mistake is made and a player serves out of turn, the player who should be serving should take over the serve as soon as any player discovers the mistake; all points scored by both teams up to that point stand. While the server serves, his partner can stand anywhere on the court as long as he does not obstruct the serve.
The Serve
Serving in doubles works just like it does in a singles match, with a few extra considerations. For her first serve of a game, a player must stand with both feet behind the base-line of her deuce court anywhere between the mid-line of the court and the outer line of the doubles alley. She must toss the ball into the air and strike it before it hits the ground. If the player changes her position on the court or touches the base-line with her a foot during her service motion, a foot-fault is called. Once struck, the ball must land in the service box of the receiving team's deuce court without hitting anything else before doing so. If the ball hits the server's partner or any of her apparel or equipment, the serve is a fault. If the ball strikes the net before landing in the proper spot, the ball is called a let and the server gets another chance without losing the serve. If the ball lands anywhere but in the correct service box, it is a fault. A server gets two chances to serve the ball in. A double-fault occurs when the server misses both chances and the receiving team is awarded a point. After serving the first point from deuce court, the server will serve the second point from her ad court and continue to rotate after each point.
The Receiving Team
At the beginning of the first game that a team receives the service, the players on the receiving team must decide who will receive the first serve. Whoever receives the first serve will play the deuce court side for the duration of the set. Only when the second set begins can the players change this arrangement. The player receiving the serve can stand anywhere on the proper side of the court and must return a good serve by striking it after it bounces in the service court and before it bounces a second time. If the served ball touches the receiver's partner or any of his apparel or equipment before bouncing on the receiving side, a point is awarded to the server.
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