Despite this video having over two hundred
and twelve thousand views, I'm continually asked questions about
the differences between a legal and an illegal serve.
It doesn't really surprise me because it can be difficult to see with the naked
eye. What does surprise me is I'm not often asked
about the rule that I see being violated the most.
Stay tuned.
Hey, everybody, I'm C.J. Johnson.
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That video was recorded in 2017. W
hen you look at the rulebook, there's been a few tweaks to the language.
A couple of the pictures have changed,
but in essence, these three rules have stayed the same.
The three basics to the motion of the serve.
The paddle needs to be moving in an upward motion.
Contact with the ball needs to happen
below the waist, which in the rulebook was further defined as the navel.
And lastly, the highest part
of the paddle, the head of your paddle must be below the wrist.
So this position here, versus that position.
If you'd like to see more detail about those rules, including some slow-mo serves
and some strategy recommendations, make sure you click on this link.
As I said before, most of the questions I get are about those three rules.
But when I'm out on the court,
that's not the rule that I see. b eing violated most often. Rule 4.a.3
says at the beginning of the service
motion both feet must be behind the baseline and the imaginary extensions
of the baseline. At the time the ball is struck,
the servers feet may not touch the court or outside the imaginary extension
of the sideline or the center line, and at least one foot must be
on the playing surface or ground behind the baseline.
This is the only time the rulebook tells you where you have to stand.
And it has three parts the side line, the center line, as well as the baseline.
Let's break it down.
4.a.2 further states
that the service motion begins
with the backward or forward motion of the arm at the beginning of the service
motion, both feet must be behind the base line or an extension of the baseline.
One of the most common mistakes I see
people make is they start with thier feet way too close to the service line,
and that makes it much easier to violate the second part of this rule.
The next part states that at the time
the ball is struck, the feet may not be outside the sideline or the center line.
So as an example, I see a lot of people
start to serve over here.
That gives them a good angle for a cross court service.
They have committed to serve violation.
The same goes for standing on an extension of the center line.
If that's where you like to stand, make sure that as you start.
Don't let your opponents on the other side of the
question or think that it may be an il
legal serve. Start inside that extension of the sideline or the centerline.
Lastly, at the time the ball is struck one foot
must be behind the baseline, th is position. What I see people do is I see
people start very close to the baseline and as they're striking the serve
their momentum,
carries both feet into the court. Now, it's OK if after you've struck the serve
one foot is coming into the court and the other part is outside of it.
But if it were
like this one foot into the court and the other toe just slightly touching
the baseline, that would be considered an illegal serve.
If you want to keep your serve legal, as
you begin, my recommendation would be
start the serve about a foot behind the baseline.
That way, if your momentum happens
to carry you into the court, you're not in violation and it doesn't
have an illegal serve. T he next time that you're out
there make sure you take a look at where your partner is.
I see a lot of people standing with your feet at or near
the baseline and when they make contact, momentum takes them into the court.
If you've got more questions on serving
rules or how to make your serve better, click on this playlist right here.
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