How far behind the baseline are you allowed to serve?

[pczerner]

Hi all, first post but have been reading over the years. I've searched for an answer to the above question, but have not found anyone who talks about it.

Is there a specific rule that limits how far behind the baseline you're allowed to serve? Here is my thought: if there isn't a limit, one could develop a powerful topspin serve that arches high and bounces high in the service box, making serve returns more difficult. If you're strong enough, it would be easier to serve from a distance behind the baseline to give the ball time to curve down if the ball is hit with enough speed.

Does the rule book say anything about this behind the baseline serve distance limit?

Thanks.

 

[Voytek Bunia]

I never heard of any rules but you want to stand as close to the net as you possibly can. That gives you the best trajectory. Standing further back would make it very hard to place a strong shot in the service box.

 

[Steady Eddy]

The only thing I ever read about this comes from "Use Your Head in Tennis" The author says that he has seen players who stand several feet behind the baseline to serve, because their serve keeps going long. The author's against it, because he says that is like making yourself short on the serve.

But he said nothing about it being illegal. I think you could stand all the way back at the back fence, (usually 21 feet behind the baseline), to serve.

Maybe you'e on to something? Let us know.

 

[J011yroger]

You can't stand wider than the sidelines but you can stand as far back as you want.

You could serve from the parking lot if you wanted.

J

 

[MyFearHand]

You're not going to hit a better kick serve from further back...

 

[onehandbh]

Who wins the point if you hit a serve high into the atmosphere and it burns up during the descent back to earth?

 

[Steady Eddy]

You can't stand wider than the sidelines but you can stand as far back as you want.

You could serve from the parking lot if you wanted.

J

That's right. If it's in singles, no wider than the singles sidelines. In doubles, no wider than the doubles sidelines.

 

[Steady Eddy]

Who wins the point if you hit a serve high into the atmosphere and it burns up during the descent back to earth?

That's a good question. I'd think that if some part of the ball survives and hits the court, then it's on the returner.

If it burns up completely, then it's a fault. And the server will need a new ball.

 

[pczerner]

You're not going to hit a better kick serve from further back...

I tend to put too much forward momentum on my top spin serves, making them go long, so I figure standing further back would help them go in. I've messed around in practice, and have no problem serving into the box from 10 feet back.

 

[travlerajm]

This brings up an intriguing question: How easy is it to hit an effective serve by backing up to the back fence and offering a high moonball? Could you serve and volley behind it?

I'm going to try this next time I practice serves. Volleyball players use this technique (serving from 20 feet behind line) because a moonball served from back there comes downward with much more force, making it harder for receiver to control.

 

[pczerner]

The only thing I ever read about this comes from "Use Your Head in Tennis" The author says that he has seen players who stand several feet behind the baseline to serve, because their serve keeps going long. The author's against it, because he says that is like making yourself short on the serve.

But he said nothing about it being illegal. I think you could stand all the way back at the back fence, (usually 21 feet behind the baseline), to serve.

Maybe you'e on to something? Let us know.

So long as there's no rule against it, I'd like to play with the possibility. I think it could make you seem like a TALLER player because, by the time the ball crosses the baseline, it could have a much higher view of the court, ultimately with a steeper angle into the service box, if you follow me.

 

[IowaGuy]

I tend to put too much forward momentum on my top spin serves, making them go long, so I figure standing further back would help them go in.

Of course, by standing further back, your serves will also arrive slower and with less spin to your opponent. Probably pretty easy to return at that point.

Better to fix your technique and stand at the service line like the pros do. Sampras and Rafter also had a lot of forward momemtum on their topspin serves

 

[Voytek Bunia]

Of course, by standing further back, your serves will also arrive slower and with less spin to your opponent. Probably pretty easy to return at that point.

Better to fix your technique and stand at the service line like the pros do. Sampras and Rafter also had a lot of forward momemtum on their topspin serves

You have so much time to react, you can win every point by placing a slice in their service box. No way he can run to the net from the parking lot lol

 

[S&V-not_dead_yet]

I tend to put too much forward momentum on my top spin serves, making them go long, so I figure standing further back would help them go in. I've messed around in practice, and have no problem serving into the box from 10 feet back.

Good luck with S&V from that far back!

 

[S&V-not_dead_yet]

Volleyball players use this technique (serving from 20 feet behind line) because a moonball served from back there comes downward with much more force, making it harder for receiver to control.

It's not a penalty in VB because you have 5 teammates in case the receiving team hits it back over in one [and no good team ever does that unless there is a gaping hole; they want the advantage of pass/set/spike].

The good servers went back far not so much for the downward speed but the knuckling action. Of course, in the modern game where overhand passing is accepted, strong guys with big hands can eliminate the advantage of that serve by smothering the ball while they pass. That's why most jump serves are either the heavy TS ripper variety or the bullet/skim the net type.

 

[S&V-not_dead_yet]

So long as there's no rule against it, I'd like to play with the possibility. I think it could make you seem like a TALLER player because, by the time the ball crosses the baseline, it could have a much higher view of the court, ultimately with a steeper angle into the service box, if you follow me.

Isner has such a high reach that he can actually hit down into the service box. One analyst commented "he's not hitting a serve; he's hitting an OH".

Now imagine Isner had to back up to the wall: would that increase or decrease his height advantage? It would mostly nullify it.

I think you're solving one weakness of your serve by introducing another, more subtle weakness. As @IowaGuy suggested, it's probably better for you to fix your traditional technique than moving backwards.

 

[Slicerman]

no problem serving into the box from 10 feet back.

This method would never work because your opponent could just hit a half volley drop shot return. You also lose any possibility of getting any angle on your serve.

 

[pczerner]

This method would never work because your opponent could just hit a half volley drop shot return. You also lose any possibility of getting any angle on your serve.

Possibly, but a slice that has a long pathway has more action and can change the direction of the ball more. Anyway, I'll put it to the test.

 

[S&V-not_dead_yet]

So long as there's no rule against it, I'd like to play with the possibility. I think it could make you seem like a TALLER player because, by the time the ball crosses the baseline, it could have a much higher view of the court, ultimately with a steeper angle into the service box, if you follow me.

I think what you're trying to do is take the arc of the serve and simply move the starting and ending point, without changing the shape of the arc.

What we're suggesting is to sharpen the arc's curve and keep the starting and ending points constant.

The former requires you to move back and give up a lot of court and serve speed.

The latter requires you to generate more RHS and thus more spin to sharpen the arc.

Pick your poison.

 

[onehandbh]

This brings up an intriguing question: How easy is it to hit an effective serve by backing up to the back fence and offering a high moonball? Could you serve and volley behind it?

I'm going to try this next time I practice serves. Volleyball players use this technique (serving from 20 feet behind line) because a moonball served from back there comes downward with much more force, making it harder for receiver to control.

The serves would take a lot longer to reach the box and your opponent would have plenty of time to get in position.
I'd imagine you'd get fewer service winners but perhaps against some players it might be like starting a groundstroke rally instead of a serve.