Today we move into a new section in the ITF Rules of Tennis in the USTA Friend at Court. The new section is titled simply “Serving.” In the days leading up to this new rule, we covered the section titled “The Service” which specifies how the serve is to be delivered. So what could possibly be left to discuss that warrants a separate section?
When serving in a standard game, the server shall stand behind alternate halves of the court, starting from the right half of the court in every game.
USTA Friend at Court, ITF Rules of Tennis, Section 17
This section contains the description of where the server stands and the fact that the position alternates sides each point. Additionally it is indicated that that the first serve is delivered from the right half of the court in every game. This resolves another rule ambiguity discussed in “Doubles Only: Order of Receiving in Tennis.” In that discussion it was noted that which side received first in each game following the first was not clear.
At the same time, the wording in the rule raises the question of why the side description uses the terminology “right half of the court” without providing an indication of the perspective to separate right from left. After painstakingly defining the advantage and the deuce courts, it would seem to be equally descriptive to indicate that the first point of every game is delivered from the deuce court. But to where?
The service shall pass over the net and hit the service court diagonally opposite, before the receiver returns it.
USTA Friend at Court, ITF Rules of Tennis, Section 17
An alternate way to state this rule is that the serve is delivered diagonally from the deuce side of the court to the deuce service court and from the advantage side of the court to the advantage service court. The writing of that clunky sentence might be the solution to the mystery of why the rule does not use the advantage and deuce terminology.
I take personal exception to the claim that the service shall pass over the net and hit the service court. This is something that is much easier said than done. At least in my case it would be more accurate to say that the server shall attempt to pass the ball over the net and into the correct court. Results certainly vary.
There is one more sentence in this rule which is sandwiched in between the excerpts covered today. Discussion on the additional aspect is deferred until tomorrow.
- United States Tennis Association (2020) Friend at Court. White Plains, NY
