The term “fault” is commonly known, it’s heard regularly throughout every match, yet not all tennis fans understand how important a component of the game it is. Every tennis tournament and point played begins with a serve – a unique opportunity in a match that allows the returner to score points without ever touching the ball.
This article aims to help readers in understanding why faults happen and how players become more accurate with their serves to avoid unforced errors. Additionally, we discuss the impact a fault has on the server, the physiological aspects of serving a fault, and look at some stats as they relate to pro players and faults.
In the game of tennis a player receives a fault when their serve violates serving rules – stepping over the baseline or missing the service box. Two consecutive faults (aka double fault) gives the point to the opponent.
How Do Faults Occur in Tennis?
As mentioned, a fault is simply a serve that does not adhere to the rules. The serve must be hit before bouncing and land in the diagonally opposite service box (each side has two located at the net) without hitting the net or landing the ball out of bounds.
So, if the serve hits the net and lands outside of the box or does not cross the net at all, that would be considered a fault, but it’s not over (the opponent doesn’t get a point just yet). The server gets two serves per point.
If both of those serves are faults, it becomes a double fault and the point goes to the opponent automatically.
Types of Faults
There’s more than one way to get a fault and here’s a quick summary:
Foot faults: occur when the server has any part of their shoe on or over the baseline before making contact with the ball.
Service faults: occur when the served ball lands outside of the service box, hits the net and doesn’t go in, or completely misses the court.
Double faults: occur when both serve attempts (within a single point) result in faults, which results in the server losing the point.
Foot faults, service faults, and double faults occur under different circumstances, however; what they all share is the same outcome, which is loss of advantage and rhythm to the server during a service game – a shift of momentum toward the receiver is never good.
What Can Cause a Server to Fault?
- Bad ball tosses are problematic. A toss that is out in front, behind, or to the side will create either awkward swings or an off-balance serve.
- Errors in foot placement can lead to foot faults, especially when players lean in too aggressively toward the court. Hitting long, often due to a forceful swing or timing issues, is not uncommon.
- Stress can also be a psychological barrier, particularly on important points, as it can throw a player’s rhythm off and increase the likelihood of an unforced error.
- Fatigue can also have an effect, lowering a player’s ability to concentrate and potentially decreasing coordination. A good night’s sleep before a big match goes a long way!
- Mechanical issues, like grip, stance, and swing follow through, each of which requires mechanical consistency to eliminate errors.
How Faults Are Called & Judged
A fault call on the court is determined by the chair umpire and line judges. The baseline line judge monitors foot placement for foot faults and both sideline and center line judges determine whether serves land inside the service box on the intended side of the net.
In professional tournaments, a Hawk-Eye technology is commonly employed to help ensure calls on the lines are accurate. Either during each point, or the end of a service game, the Hawk-Eye technology will track the ball’s trajectory in milliseconds and announce “fault” if the ball makes contact with the line.
Even at the professional level, a player does not have any recourse to challenge an electronic fault call. At lower levels of competition when electronic line call technology is not in use, the official or player officiating the match retains the right to determine if a ball was in or not.
Difference Between a Fault & Let
During a serve, a let and a fault may occur; however, they have different implications.
Tennis Let
A let happens when the serve hits the net but still lands in the service box. If that is the case, the serve is replayed and does not count as a point. Lets can occur when external disruption, such as a stray ball rolling on the court, interrupts play.
Tennis Fault
A fault indicates to the server that he or she is being penalized and has just lost a serve. The main difference is that in the case of a let, it resets the serve, but in the case of a fault, the server moves closer to losing that point.
Strategies to Avoid Faults
A consistent and repeatable ball toss is a great starting point for improving serve consistency. Practicing where to toss the ball makes it possible to hit it at a consistent height and in a consistent position to the player’s body.
A pre-serve routine that follows a consistent rhythm helps alleviate tension and focus attention on the serve. Monitoring foot placement helps minimize foot faults and assures balance at contact.
Players typically serve around 80 percent of their full power in order to develop serve routines when pressure is applied.
Continual analysis of video, or coaching feedback on minor technical errors is super beneficial. Of course, conditioning and flexibility work also supports endurance to improve serving consistency and minimize serving errors due to fatigue.
Professional Examples & Statistics
Depending on the style of serve, professional players have a wide variety of frequency of faults. Big servers like Alexander Zverev and Matteo Berrettini are going to have high ace counts, but that is countered by a higher number of double-faults due to their willingness to take risks.
Players who are more consistently-styled players, such as Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, are going to prioritize placement of their serve and spin, and therefore tend to limit their faults each match.
Within men’s tennis, double faults on average for each player is generally around two to four per service game. In women’s tennis, the average is generally slightly higher.
These statistics ultimately demonstrate that power is quickly associated with risk, which is further emphasized that it is a process of finding the happy medium of pace, control and reliability as a player progresses to the professional level.
Learn to Play Tennis & Keep Your Faults at a Minimum in Mountlake Terrace
A fault in tennis represents more than a technical error; it’s an indicator of precision, discipline, and composure within a player. Recognizing how faults develop allows you to correct mechanics, manage emotions, and refine serving strategy.
Successful servers learn to limit faults by practicing consistent technique, controlling the ball toss, and staying composed during high-pressure situations.
Got tennis on your mind and looking for tennis lessons for yourself or a child? Basha Tennis offers expert tennis couching in Mountlake Terrace for adults and youth players. You can also take private lessons to get one-on-one tutelage.
We have a lot of information on our tennis blog if you’re looking to learn more about the sport. Our tennis glossary is a great resource for new players trying to learn tennis jargon.
If you have question for us, please reach out!