Rules For Serving In Professional Tennis

Serving the ball in tennis is how every point begins, and the ability to deliver and return serves is often a deciding factor in the outcome of a match. Strong serves that are not touched by your opponent's racquet are recorded as aces and are a coveted achievement equal to dunking a basketball. In professional tennis, serves often exceed 100 mph -- with the record serve reaching 155 mph, according to Popular Mechanics. This achievement was reached by observing a simple set of rules governing the serve.

Service Order

Each team, whether composed of single players or a doubles teams, takes turns serving by alternating each game. These service games last for varying lengths of time, but they are switched to the opposing side once a game is over. In a doubles match, players must alternative serving turns on each team. No player can serve for his team two consecutive times.

Before the Serve

The serving player must stand with both feet completely behind the back line on the court. They cannot stand farther to the side of either the boundary lines at the side of the court or the center line. Players serve from alternating sides of the court as defined by the center line, and the first serve always comes from the right side. Service is put into motion when the server releases the ball from his hand. This can go in any direction, but the ball must be hit before it touches the ground. In professional tennis, the ball is most often tossed upward to be hit overhead.

Delivery

The server must send the ball over the net and onto the opponent's court so it touches the square closest to the net on the opposite side of the net. The ball cannot be hit before it hits inside the square. Serves that don't hit inside the serving square are called faults.

Faults

Faults, which are illegal serves, can be called for several reasons. A foot fault is caused by stepping on or over the line before the ball strikes the racquet. Placing the ball improperly on the opponent's court or hitting another player or the net post before hitting the ground are also considered fault. Balls that strike the net are played according to where they land. If a fault is called, a second service is given. If a let is called, the serve is replayed. Two faults in a row ends up being a point for the receiving team.