Even outside the court, getting hit by a ball in the air is a fault

A ball is out when it lands on the ground outside the court (8.C). Before it lands, the ball is not out yet (8.C, 10.C).

If the ball hits your body

Even if you are standing outside the court, if a ball in the air (before it bounces) hits your body or clothes, it is a fault on the team of the player who was hit (10.C, 10.C.3, It's a fault if the ball hits your body or clothes). If a serve hits a player on the receiving team before it lands, it is also a fault on the receiving team (7.E.5).

• You were standing behind the baseline, and a long ball hit you in the chest → a fault on the player who was hit (10.C.3)
• You thought the ball was out and caught it with the hand that is not holding the paddle → a fault on the player who caught it (10.C.3)

If you hit the ball with your paddle

Even when you are standing outside the court, you may hit a ball out of the air with your paddle. The rally just continues (8.C, 10.C.3). But the serve and the return of serve must bounce before they are hit (10.A).

Common mistakes

• "It hit me outside the court, so it's out" is wrong. Where you were standing does not matter (8.C, 10.C.3)