Term
Fault
When a rally ends because of a rule violation or a mistake.
When a rally ends because of a rule violation or a mistake (Section 2, Definitions, 9.B). Hitting the ball out (10.C.1), hitting it so that it doesn't cross the net and lands on your own side (10.C.2), and volleying in the non-volley zone (kitchen) (11.A.1) are some examples of faults. The side that commits the fault loses that rally (Section 2, Definitions).
See it in a figure
This figure is from the rule "A serve that touches the kitchen line is a fault".
How to read the sources: numbers like (8.F.4) are rulebook sections, and links are outside sources. An "Author's note" is the author's personal experience, not an official rule.
Related
Pages that use this term
- It's a fault if the ball hits your body or clothes
- Common faults at a glance
- Entering the kitchen from your volley's momentum is a fault
- The score call (three numbers)
- Serve diagonally
- How to serve (volley serve and drop serve)
- Serve within 10 seconds of the score call
- Number and length of timeouts
- Dead Ball
- Momentum
- Net