Can you practice your serve at the service line before a serve, or is that a fault?

[GameSetBeer]

I've looked for the answer to this question everywhere and cannot find it. My friend whom I've been playing for a while finally figured out how to serve right (I taught him) and now he practices his serve during our matches before each of his serves.

Sometimes up to three times at the service line. He makes the motion of the serve without throwing the ball up. At first it didn't bug me, but now he does it a lot and especially now that I'm beating him.

Is this considered a fault?

I looked up the rules and it says this:
"A miss. If the server swings but misses the ball, it is a fault. However, if a server releases the ball but does not attempt to hit it, there is no fault and the server may repeat the service attempt."

My friend is not hitting at the ball and he's also not throwing it up.

It's really annoying and I'd love to tell him that it is indeed a fault.

He also ties his shoes about 4 times during matches now and yells out something funny if he lobs it over me. I realize we're playing for fun, but I'm trying to take it more seriously (with rules and form).

 

[pabletion]

just fkin tell him not to do it!

why do you guys complicate things that arent complicated?

 

[GameSetBeer]

Okay, I'm not looking for interpersonal skills. Could've gone to the self help site for that. I'm asking about a rule because I'm curious and it's not mentioned anywhere.

Can you practice your serve at the service line before a serve, or is that a fault?

Feet are at the service line, he swings his serve, but doesn't throw up the ball.

Can you make the motion of a serve at the service line (like in golf when you practice a stroke)?

More curious about the rule than how to deal with my friend.

 

[pabletion]

Okay, I'm not looking for interpersonal skills. Could've gone to the self help site for that. I'm asking about a rule because I'm curious and it's not mentioned anywhere.

Can you practice your serve at the service line before a serve, or is that a fault?

Feet are at the service line, he swings his serve, but doesn't throw up the ball.

Can you make the motion of a serve at the service line (like in golf when you practice a stroke)?

More curious about the rule than how to deal with my friend.

I dont know and I dont care if its technically a fault or not........... I wouldnt allow it, I would just ask him to NOT FCKIN DO THAT, and if he keeps it up, I wouldnt play with him no mo....... How annoying! (Can I shadow my returns too?)

But if youre up to it.............................

 

[S&V-not_dead_yet]

I looked up the rules and it says this:
"A miss. If the server swings but misses the ball, it is a fault. However, if a server releases the ball but does not attempt to hit it, there is no fault and the server may repeat the service attempt."

My friend is not hitting at the ball and he's also not throwing it up.

It's really annoying and I'd love to tell him that it is indeed a fault.

The rule as you quoted it does not state what your friend is doing is a fault [it doesn't say anything about it being annoying].

He also ties his shoes about 4 times during matches now and yells out something funny if he lobs it over me. I realize we're playing for fun, but I'm trying to take it more seriously (with rules and form).

Him yelling while the ball is in play heading towards your side of the court could definitely be considered a hindrance. Shoe-tying is not a rule violation unless it violates time restrictions.

It sounds more like he's got more idiosyncrasies than the average person. However, only the yelling is a rule violation. I'm not sure how such a person will take to you trying to change his habits, though.

 

[NTRPolice]

He could even toss the ball and it wouldnt be considered a "fault" unless he tries to hit it. There is no actual limit to the amount of times you can toss a ball, whether you're intending to hit it or not. Once you attempt to swing at the ball, the serve motion is considered complete and the point is live.

In order to be absolutely clear on their intent, pros often use their tossing hand to try and catch a bad toss. This can never be confused with an attempt to hit the ball.

 

[SweetH2O]

If he doesn't throw the ball in the air, it can't be interpreted as a swing at the ball. Therefore what he is doing is not a fault. Just annoying.

 

[pabletion]

If he doesn't throw the ball in the air, it can't be interpreted as a swing at the ball. Therefore what he is doing is not a fault. Just annoying.

who needs the rule? A punch in the nose, I tells ya!

 

[r2473]

I've looked for the answer to this question everywhere and cannot find it. My friend whom I've been playing for a while finally figured out how to serve right (I taught him) and now he practices his serve during our matches before each of his serves.

Sometimes up to three times at the service line. He makes the motion of the serve without throwing the ball up. At first it didn't bug me, but now he does it a lot and especially now that I'm beating him.

Is this considered a fault?

I looked up the rules and it says this:
"A miss. If the server swings but misses the ball, it is a fault. However, if a server releases the ball but does not attempt to hit it, there is no fault and the server may repeat the service attempt."

My friend is not hitting at the ball and he's also not throwing it up.

It's really annoying and I'd love to tell him that it is indeed a fault.

He also ties his shoes about 4 times during matches now and yells out something funny if he lobs it over me. I realize we're playing for fun, but I'm trying to take it more seriously (with rules and form).

The serving thing is 100% a fault. Tying your shoelaces is 100% a fault.

Now, go tell your friend these things are faults and that you read it on the internet. That should settle things.

 

[GameSetBeer]

Haha. Okay thanks for the tips.

It's probably because he beat me for about a year straight and now I'm splitting sets with him since I've been practicing more and taking instruction (my serve gained 30mph as well due to correct form).

I didn't take the game as seriously as I do now. However, I've dramatically upped my game in the last few months and I'm finally looking up more rules etc. At least I can tell him to stfu when he yells out and take the point and also take the point when he shuffles his feet and moves around on my second serve.

 

[esgee48]

There are no rules against practice/bad tosses. However, there are rules against delay of game. Time between points within a game are normally restricted to less than 20-25 seconds. If he exceeds the time, warn him. What I would do, is do the same to him and see how he likes it. Practice your bouncing and multiple ball tosses. I played against this guy who would foot fault very badly. He wouldn't stop, so I started to foot fault like him. He got the message!

 

[pabletion]

Haha. Okay thanks for the tips.

It's probably because he beat me for about a year straight and now I'm splitting sets with him since I've been practicing more and taking instruction (my serve gained 30mph as well due to correct form).

I didn't take the game as seriously as I do now. However, I've dramatically upped my game in the last few months and I'm finally looking up more rules etc. At least I can tell him to stfu when he yells out and take the point and also take the point when he shuffles his feet and moves around on my second serve.

Wanna take it seriously? How about putting down a wager of some sort? A couple of bucks, drinks/beer lunch.... This will spice things up see how he straightens up when he starts throwing some dough.

 

[Dartagnan64]

You can shadow swing anything within the 20 second time alotment between points. As long as he's not exceeding that time limit or actually throwing the ball up, its fine.

My wife played with a woman that's OCD and won't hit her serve unless the toss is perfect. She can throw up as many as 10 tosses before hitting one. Now that's annoying and one of the reasons I'd love tennis to change the rule so that once tossed, the ball must be played.

 

[Deleted member 23235]

You can shadow swing anything within the 20 second time alotment between points. As long as he's not exceeding that time limit or actually throwing the ball up, its fine.

My wife played with a woman that's OCD and won't hit her serve unless the toss is perfect. She can throw up as many as 10 tosses before hitting one. Now that's annoying and one of the reasons I'd love tennis to change the rule so that once tossed, the ball must be played.

problem is that noone enforces the 20s rule... not even the pros...
I do like the idea of "as soon as it's tossed, the ball is in play"... though makes the game less fun as we're developing...
really the spirit is, follow the "normal flow of the game", but that's not enforceable.... (ie. 10 tosses is not a "normal flow of the game"; but taking a 45s break after a long point, might be (ie. when both opponents are winded, but probably doesn't apply if one side is not winded, and the other is).

 

[Dartagnan64]

problem is that noone enforces the 20s rule... not even the pros...
I do like the idea of "as soon as it's tossed, the ball is in play"... though makes the game less fun as we're developing...
really the spirit is, follow the "normal flow of the game", but that's not enforceable.... (ie. 10 tosses is not a "normal flow of the game"; but taking a 45s break after a long point, might be (ie. when both opponents are winded, but probably doesn't apply if one side is not winded, and the other is).

I've seen players docked points for slow play in men's pro tennis. It is enforced if there are egregious delays and guys get warned all the time.

I've never let a tossed ball fall to the ground (that I can remember). I hit every service toss. Because of that I've learned to "save" a lot of bad tosses. So it's certainly doable and fine for development and may actually help development as knowing you don't have a do-over will make people more conscious of tossing properly. I mean the pro's might let a toss fall once or twice a match. I see amateurs letting tosses hit the ground once or twice a service game.

 

[Deleted member 23235]

I've seen players docked points for slow play in men's pro tennis. It is enforced if there are egregious delays and guys get warned all the time.

I've never let a tossed ball fall to the ground (that I can remember). I hit every service toss. Because of that I've learned to "save" a lot of bad tosses. So it's certainly doable and fine for development and may actually help development as knowing you don't have a do-over will make people more conscious of tossing properly. I mean the pro's might let a toss fall once or twice a match. I see amateurs letting tosses hit the ground once or twice a service game.

not that it will ever happen, but maybe a compromise in the rule change should be 2 tosses max.

the irritating thing i find about folks that toss many times (i do occasionally), is that my return motion is like nishikori and murray (and others), where I take a step in, on their toss, and split on contact... so you're now jerking me around like a puppet master...
then again if it takes you 10 tosses before you hit a serve, you're probably not that good anyway, so probably a moot point

 

[RetroSpin]

The second or third time someone tosses the ball ten times before serving, I'm calling for an official. If that doesn't work, just as they are about to toss, raise your arm and call time and walk around a bit.

Also put your bag on the bench.

 

[r2473]

not that it will ever happen, but maybe a compromise in the rule change should be 2 tosses max.

the irritating thing i find about folks that toss many times (i do occasionally), is that my return motion is like nishikori and murray (and others), where I take a step in, on their toss, and split on contact... so you're now jerking me around like a puppet master...
then again if it takes you 10 tosses before you hit a serve, you're probably not that good anyway, so probably a moot point

This is a great way to neutralize a good returner. I learned it years ago when someone did it to me. It works.

 

[NTRPolice]

not that it will ever happen, but maybe a compromise in the rule change should be 2 tosses max.

the irritating thing i find about folks that toss many times (i do occasionally), is that my return motion is like nishikori and murray (and others), where I take a step in, on their toss, and split on contact... so you're now jerking me around like a puppet master...
then again if it takes you 10 tosses before you hit a serve, you're probably not that good anyway, so probably a moot point

I think 2 tosses is a pretty good limit. I dont think i've had to exceed 2 tosses more than 5 times in my entire life. Small fish compared to the number of serves i've hit. Sometimes I get super nervous when im playing and my tossing arm does not release the ball well. This leads to tosses WAY behind me and over my left shoulder, or tosses are super low because my arm is tense.

The only problem is that a person who is trying to use gamesmanship can just do 2 tosses every time.

"Puppet Master" LOL. Aint that the truth. It's even more hilarious/irritating when they start the second toss before you've reset. And then they catch that one. HAHA

 

[stapletonj]

volleyball is even more restrictive. You get one, count em, one, second toss, BUT ONLY IF YOU DO NOT TOUCH THE BALL. per service rotation.
OF course, they made let serves in play as well not too.

Tennis should probably do something similar... (of course, college has done the let serve thing already)

 

[xFullCourtTenniSx]

I've looked for the answer to this question everywhere and cannot find it. My friend whom I've been playing for a while finally figured out how to serve right (I taught him) and now he practices his serve during our matches before each of his serves.

Sometimes up to three times at the service line. He makes the motion of the serve without throwing the ball up. At first it didn't bug me, but now he does it a lot and especially now that I'm beating him.

Is this considered a fault?

I looked up the rules and it says this:
"A miss. If the server swings but misses the ball, it is a fault. However, if a server releases the ball but does not attempt to hit it, there is no fault and the server may repeat the service attempt."

My friend is not hitting at the ball and he's also not throwing it up.

It's really annoying and I'd love to tell him that it is indeed a fault.

He also ties his shoes about 4 times during matches now and yells out something funny if he lobs it over me. I realize we're playing for fun, but I'm trying to take it more seriously (with rules and form).

How can he miss if there's no ball to hit? He's free to do this. Even pros do this AT THE BASELINE. There's only 1 restriction on this: that the time between when the previous point ended (double bounce, landed in net/out of bounds, etc) and him actually hitting the ball must not exceed 25 seconds (20 seconds in professional games where you have ball boys). If he's consistently taking forever to start points, call him out on THAT, but not on practicing his motion. First offense is warning, second is point loss, third is game loss, fourth is set loss.

 

[Gazelle]

I've played some weird guys in tournaments, so I've gotten used to some weird stuff.

One opponent needed like 2 minutes to retrieve a ball that had rolled to another court, and this happened multiple times during the match.

Another was a self-employed person who got called on his phone every 5 minutes during the match. He said it was too important to not take the call. I didn't complain because overall he was very friendly and his level after a phone call dropped more than mine.

One guy was whistling during the warm-up and wanted to talk with me about horse races during every change-over. He also drank from a large bottle containing a self made cocktail.

I think I could mentally handle OP's opponent.

 

[heninfan99]

Me thinks it would be a callable foot fault however you can hit practice serves during an opponent's mto

 

[tennis tom]

Can you practice your serve at the service line before a serve, or is that a fault?

Feet are at the service line, he swings his serve, but doesn't throw up the ball.

Sounds like you got him on this one big time!--he's major foot faulting--but I think you mean the "baseline" not the service line.

 

[tennis tom]

My friend whom I've been playing for a while finally figured out how to serve right (I taught him) and now he practices his serve during our matches before each of his serves.

You've been foisted by your own petard, present him with a bill for at least half of what you've paid your pro to learn the serve--it's the least that he can do for you. He's taking practice swings, I've seen pros while teaching the serve make their students take ONE practice swing before hitting their serve. Three practice swings during a match would drive me crazy. His service motion might be like a new toy to him and he will get bored with it--if not, he won't have many people to play with soon. If he wants to do this he should do it on his own time between points while picking up the ball or changing sides. I can't even picture this but I will go out there and try it--I think I could really annoy people on the challenge court with this. You may want to expand your list of opponents.

 

[jaggy]

Stand at the net and hit practice imaginary volleys from his practice imaginary serves