What A Fault Is In Tennis
As one of the most popular sports in the world, tennis is viewed globally by around a billion people. The tournaments, which last almost throughout the year, will keep you glued to your seat and in front of the TV because they are exciting and often full of thrillers.
Many will visit the stands across some of the most popular venues worldwide, like those in Sydney, Rome, New York, Paris, or Wimbledon. If you’re preparing for this year’s tennis season, and you’re about to watch some of the biggest tennis stars, like Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Siner, Coco Gaufg, Aryna Sabalenka, Jesica Peggula, or some other players; you must know how the game is played.
In this post, we’re talking more about tennis and its rules. We will focus on the “fault” rule – when it happens, what’s causing it, and how the game goes after it. If you want to learn more about it, keep reading and find out why tennis players hate this when serving.
What is a fault in tennis?
By definition, a fault in tennis is when the server makes an error. As the rules dictate, the server must deploy the ball in the diagonally opposite square of the field, inside the lines, without touching the net. The player must stay out of the serving line and not step inside the court.
If all these parameters are met, the serve is allowed, but if some are broken, the umpire will call for a fault. The only exception is when the ball hits the net, but goes inside the required box, which is called a “let” and is still the same serve. It is not a fault.
A fault happens when the ball doesn’t land in the correct serving box when the server steps over the baseline before the ball touches the racket if the server swings and misses the ball. This is not happening often, but it’s still part of the rules.
When the player steps over the baseline, this is called a tennis foot fault. It is also not common, but it does happen sometimes. It doesn’t affect the game, but rules are rules. All players try to be as close as possible to their fastest tennis serve and cause more trouble for the opponent and this often leads to this fault or missing the box.
When one of these things happens, the umpire calls fault and the server gets another chance to serve the ball. If the same happens again, the umpire will say double fault. This may significantly affect the game and the result. If you want to know more about the double fault situation, keep reading and see what it is.
What is a double fault in tennis?
When the server makes two mistakes in a row, the umpire announces a double fault. The double fault situation means the server loses a point. Suppose it was 30-30 – the receiving player will get a point and the score will be 30-40. However, between the first and the second fault, the server may do multiple “let” situations, which does not make a difference and the player may still get a double fault.
If the score is 40-40, that’s called a juice. This is when the double fault may seriously affect the server. Players are extra cautious in these situations. Although tennis tiebreak rules in some tournaments may differ, in this period of the game, faults and double faults are best to avoid.
What is the difference between a fault and a double fault?
As we mentioned previously, a fault service causes the server to try again and deliver the ball into the opponent’s box, but when they fail to do it two attempts in a row, that’s called a double fault, and the receiving player gains a point.
How many faults can you get in tennis?
A server may serve every ball falsely and get faults in every attempt. A player needs to win four points to win the game, which means the server can make eight double faults per game. Of course, this never happens, but in theory, it is possible.
What is a let ball in tennis?
A let ball is when the server hits the ball while serving, but the ball touches the net and goes inside the opponent’s box. This causes the receiver to lose control over the serve and the umpire calls for a “let”. It allows the receiver to have complete control over the situation because even if the ball is properly served inside the box, the receiver will not be able to return it as they want due to the net’s effect on the ball’s rotation.
Conclusion
Being called a fault in tennis is entirely normal and happens often. It is part of the serve at the beginning of the game, during the middle, and even after the deuce point. If you don’t know about this rule or what is the point after a deuce in tennis, click the link and learn more.
If you’re watching or playing tennis, and the empire calls fault, you now know what it is and what it means. Mind your feet when playing and don’t get called a foot fault in tennis, aim precisely for the opponent’s box, and avoid the net. That’s how you win matches.