Footfault Rule
No rule in tennis is broken more frequently than the footfault rule. This is easily understandable, given that many players are not aware of all the actions that constitute a footfault.
Here then, are examples of service actions that breach this rule and some that do not.
Per Rule
18, it is a footfault if you do any of the following during your service motion -
1. Change position by walking or running, although slight movements of the feet are permitted.
2. Touch the baseline or the court with either foot.
3. Touch the area outside the imaginary extension of the sideline with either foot.
4. Touch the imaginary extension of the centre mark with either foot (refer arrow 5 at right).
It
is not a footfault if you -
1. Swing your foot over the baseline (but not touching the ground inside the Court area), the centre-mark or the sideline, before or when hitting the ball in service.
2. Jump into the air with both feet off the ground either before or when hitting the ball in service.
3. Jump over the baseline toward the net with both feet off the ground (provided that you do not touch the ground inside the Court area before hitting the ball) when delivering the service.
