There’s so much to learn when first starting to play tennis. So many rules, old bits of etiquette, and new terms that get shot back and forth as often as the balls. Fortunately, there’s one thing that you can count on to be straightforward – and it may be the most important rule.
Key Takeaway:
The ball can only bounce inside the court once during a point in tennis. If it bounces twice, the player on the side of the court with the ball loses the point. It’s also possible to lose the point if the ball hits a player’s racquet in more than one place before crossing the net.
Throughout this article, I’ll explain the rules around how many times the ball can bounce in tennis. There are one or two special cases, but they’re easy to understand.
HEAD's Ti series has long been considered one of the best racquet series for beginners and the Ti S6 tops them all! It's a do-it-all type of racquet at a super affordable price!
Can the Ball Bounce Twice in Tennis?
Every racquet sport is a little bit different. In some, like pickleball, the ball must bounce if it enters certain parts of the court.
Others, like badminton, don’t allow bounces at all – probably because they don’t play with a ball.
The ball cannot bounce off the court twice in tennis. If it touches one side of the court, the next bounce must take place on the other side of the court. If a player lets the ball bounce twice on their side of the net, they lose the point.
While the rule is simple enough, one key detail makes it just a tiny bit complicated.
Bouncing the Ball off the Net in Tennis
In tennis, every player works hard to avoid touching the net in any way, shape, or form. Hitting it with your body or your racquet can lose the point for you.
As for bouncing the ball off the top of the net – or net cord – there are two cases to be aware of: hitting the net during a rally and during a serve.
Hitting the Net During a Rally
A rally in tennis begins once the serve is returned. After that, they last for however long it takes the ball to bounce twice on the same side of the court. This is where the net exception comes in.
According to the rules of tennis, the net isn’t considered a part of the court, so if the ball makes contact, it hasn’t technically bounced yet. If it eventually drops onto the court opposite where it was originally hit from, it’s fair play.
Winning a point off lucky bounces like this is considered pure luck and borderline rude, so don’t celebrate too much if you win off a bounce that goes your way. Actually, apologizing would be better.
Hitting the Net During a Serve
Before a rally begins, the net rule is a bit more complicated. If the ball hits the net off a serve, it isn’t considered in play, but it doesn’t necessarily lead to the server losing the serve, either. That depends on where the ball lands.
If the ball falls outside of the service box you were aiming for, it’s out of bounds, meaning that you forfeit either your first or second serve – depending on which you were on. If the ball lands in the service box, it’s a ‘let,’ meaning that you get to serve from scratch. Kind of like a do-over.
You can let forever, potentially, and the returning player never has to touch the ball.
Hitting the Ball off Your Racquet
The other interesting exception to the 1-bounce rule happens as you’re hitting the ball.
According to rule 24 F of the ITF rulebook, the point will be lost if the player purposefully holds or catches the ball during the game on the racket.
In this case, the point could be over before the ball has bounced once off the court.
The key to this rule is that the move must be deliberate. The shot is fine if the player strikes the ball twice by chance during a continuous swing of the racquet.
How a Point Comes to an End
Once you hit the ball cleanly off the racquet, there are only two places the ball is allowed to touch – the net and the boundaries of the opponent’s court.
The baseline of the court doesn’t change from singles to doubles, but the sidelines do. Singles tennis uses the inner lines, and doubles uses the outer ones.
The Ball Bounces Twice
If the ball lands inside the court or touches any of the lines of that court, it’s in. The player must then try to return the ball. If it bounces on that side of the court again, the player on that side forfeits the point. It can be frustrating losing a point when it’s only just within the boundaries of the court, but this is the nature of the game.
The Ball Hits Something Other Than the Court and Net
If the ball lands on the ground out of bounds, this ends the point, but what about structures or people? In tennis, the ball cannot make contact with any person or structure outside of the tennis court. This includes the players and officials, the umpire’s chair, and structures like the stands.
Does the Ball Have To Bounce in Tennis?
With all of this talk about the number of times the ball is allowed to bounce in tennis, you might be wondering whether the ball has to bounce at all.
In tennis, the ball does not have to bounce off the ground. A player can return the ball from mid-air during a rally and win the point that way. This type of shot is called a volley and can be a powerful tool for any tennis player. The only rule is that players can’t reach over the net.
Volleys are difficult to master as they require quick reflexes and agility. Many players hit them throughout the course of a game and even run straight to the net after a serve to volley the next shot.
How Many Times Can the Ball Bounce in Tennis – Final Thoughts
The ball can only bounce once off the inner boundaries of a tennis court. If it bounces a second time, the player on that side of the court will lose the point.
The key exception to remember is when the ball glances or bounces off the net and lands in bounds. If you win a point that way, remember to hold up your racquet as an apology!
Sources
- ITF: ITF Rules of Tennis
- Racket Sports World: Why do tennis players apologize for hitting the net cord?
- Tennis Companion: Let in Tennis | Definition, History, and FAQs
- Tennis Hold: Can a tennis ball bounce twice?
- The Tennis Tribe: How To Volley In Tennis | Grip, Technique, Tips, & Drills!
Welcome to TheVolleyLlama.com. My name is Keith, I’m just a lover of all sports that involve a racquet, net and a ball. I played competitive high school varsity tennis, love racquetball and my whole family plays pickleball regularly. I started this website to help give people like you the basics to learn these wonderful games.
