Is missing the ball on a serve a fault?

Yes. Missing the ball when trying to hit it is a fault, just as a ball into the net would be.

Can the server catch the toss?

Yes. A server who chooses not to hit may catch the ball with the hand or the racket, or let it bounce, and it costs nothing.

What if a serve hits the net post before landing?

It is a fault. A serve that touches a net post, a singles stick or a permanent fixture before the ground is a fault, wherever it lands.

Is it a fault if the serve hits the server's partner?

Yes. A serve touching the server's partner, or anything they wear or carry, is a fault, and the same applies to the server.

Which rules lead to a service fault?

Breaking any of Laws 16, 17 and 18, on making the serve, serving and foot faults, makes the serve a fault.

Tennis · Laws of Tennis

Law 19: Service Fault

1 parts · 2 tests · 20 facts · updated 12 October 2026 · markdown

Law 19 brings together the ways a serve becomes a fault. Some are breaches of the rules set out in Laws 16, 17 and 18, on how the serve is made, where it is served from and to, and what the feet may do. Others come from the ball itself.

Serving from in front of the baseline, or a serve that does not land in the correct box, is a fault; from the right, the serve must land in the diagonal box, and the lines count as in. Missing the ball when trying to hit it is also a fault, just as a ball into the net would be. A server who decides not to hit can avoid this: the toss may be caught with the hand or the racket, or allowed to bounce, at no cost. A serve is also a fault if it touches a permanent fixture, a singles stick or a net post before reaching the ground, including fixtures above the court. The same applies if it touches the server, the server's partner, or anything either of them wears or carries. In these cases, landing in the box afterwards does not save it.

The facts below cover broken service rules, misses and caught tosses, and serves that touch something before they land.

19.191Service Fault

Broken service rules, misses and caught tosses, and serves that touch something before landing.

Test 1Misses, tosses and broken rulesTake a test

Missing the ball when trying to hit it is a fault.
Source: ITF Rules of Tennis 2026, Rule 19 · applied
A player who chooses not to hit may catch the ball.
Source: ITF Rules of Tennis 2026, Rule 19, Case 1 · applied
The Rules allow the toss to bounce when the server decides not to hit.
Source: ITF Rules of Tennis 2026, Rule 19, Case 1 · applied
The toss may be caught with the hand or the racket.
Source: ITF Rules of Tennis 2026, Rule 19, Case 1 · applied
A serve that does not land in the correct box breaks the serving rule.
Source: ITF Rules of Tennis 2026, Rule 19 with Rule 17 · recall
Laws 16, 17 and 18 all lead to a fault when broken.
Source: ITF Rules of Tennis 2026, Rule 19 · recall
Serving from in front of the baseline breaks the service rule, so it is a fault.
Source: ITF Rules of Tennis 2026, Rule 19 · applied
A miss counts as a fault, just as a ball into the net would.
Source: ITF Rules of Tennis 2026, Rule 19 · applied
Catching an unwanted toss costs nothing.
Source: ITF Rules of Tennis 2026, Rule 19, Case 1 · applied
From the right, the serve must land in the diagonal box; lines count as in.
Source: ITF Rules of Tennis 2026, Rule 19 with Rule 17 · applied

Test 2Serves that touch something firstTake a test

A served ball that touches a permanent fixture before the ground is a fault.
Source: ITF Rules of Tennis 2026, Rule 19 · applied
Touching a singles stick before the ground makes the serve a fault, wherever it lands.
Source: ITF Rules of Tennis 2026, Rule 19, Case 2 · applied
A serve that touches a net post before the ground is a fault.
Source: ITF Rules of Tennis 2026, Rule 19 · applied
A serve touching the server's partner, or anything they wear or carry, is a fault.
Source: ITF Rules of Tennis 2026, Rule 19 · recall
The ball may not touch the server or anything the server wears or carries.
Source: ITF Rules of Tennis 2026, Rule 19 · applied
Fixtures above the court count; touching one before the ground is a fault.
Source: ITF Rules of Tennis 2026, Rule 19 · applied
Posts, sticks and stands are all treated the same way for a serve.
Source: ITF Rules of Tennis 2026, Rule 19 · recall
Landing in afterwards does not save it.
Source: ITF Rules of Tennis 2026, Rule 19, Case 2 · applied
A good serve, a let to be replayed, and a fault.
Source: ITF Rules of Tennis 2026, Rule 19 · applied
Landing in the box afterwards cannot rescue it.
Source: ITF Rules of Tennis 2026, Rule 19, Case 2 · applied

Questions people ask

Is missing the ball on a serve a fault?: Yes. Missing the ball when trying to hit it is a fault, just as a ball into the net would be.
Can the server catch the toss?: Yes. A server who chooses not to hit may catch the ball with the hand or the racket, or let it bounce, and it costs nothing.
What if a serve hits the net post before landing?: It is a fault. A serve that touches a net post, a singles stick or a permanent fixture before the ground is a fault, wherever it lands.
Is it a fault if the serve hits the server's partner?: Yes. A serve touching the server's partner, or anything they wear or carry, is a fault, and the same applies to the server.
Which rules lead to a service fault?: Breaking any of Laws 16, 17 and 18, on making the serve, serving and foot faults, makes the serve a fault.

Sources

ITF Rules of Tennis 2026, Rule 19 (paraphrased in original wording; original questions authored from the Rules, not reproduced)

ITF Rules of Tennis 2026, Rule 1911
ITF Rules of Tennis 2026, Rule 19, Case 14
ITF Rules of Tennis 2026, Rule 19, Case 23
ITF Rules of Tennis 2026, Rule 19 with Rule 172