Where your feet go when serving

At the moment the server hits the serve, they must be standing behind the baseline (7.A).

Foot rules at the moment of the serve

• At least one foot is on the ground in the correct serving area (behind the baseline) (7.A.1)
• Neither foot touches the baseline or the court (7.A.2). The baseline is part of the court (3.A.4.f, Section 2 definitions)
• Side to side, you are between the imaginary extension of the centerline and the imaginary extension of the sideline (7.A.3, 3.A.4.g)

This area (the serving area) is set by imaginary lines that extend straight back from the court lines, even if no lines are drawn on the ground. The extensions themselves are part of the serving area, so having your foot on an extension line is fine (3.A.4.g, Section 2 definitions).

Common mistakes

• At the moment of the serve, your toe is on the baseline → foot fault (fault) (7.A.2.a)
• You jump as you serve, and both feet are off the ground → fault (7.A.1.a)
• You serve while standing outside the imaginary extension of the sideline → fault (7.A.3.a)

After you hit the serve, you may step into the court right away. The rules only apply at the moment of the serve (7.A).

FAQ

Q. I shift my weight from my right foot to my left foot as I serve, so my left foot is in the air when I hit the ball. Is that OK?

Yes, that is fine. It is OK as long as at least one foot (in this case, your right foot) is on the ground in the serving area at the moment you hit the ball (7.A.1). If the foot in the air does not touch the court or the baseline, it is not a fault (7.A.2).

Q. After I hit the serve, my front foot steps over the baseline into the court. Is that OK?

No problem. The foot rules only apply at the moment of the serve (7.A). After you hit the ball, you may keep stepping forward.