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TODAY'S TOPIC:   
Clarifying The Rules Of The Bounce Serve.  

After recently covering the rules of the volley serve, today I thought we'd make sure everyone is on the same page with the use of the Drop Serve.  Some people call it a Bounce Serve because you have to let the ball bounce before you hit it, but officially it is a Drop Serve.

The Drop Serve is just what the name says.  It is a serve where you DROP (not toss or throw the ball down) the ball and let it bounce on the court before hitting it. 
 

Key points to know:

1. You can hit your Drop Serve with a forehand or backhand and don't have to worry about any of the old Volley Serve rules.  In other words, anything goes with how you hit the ball after it bounces.  Until the ball bounces, you can choose to go ahead and hit it (Volley Serve), but all three of the volley serve conditions would apply.
2. Once you drop the ball, you can let it bounce as many times as you want before you hit it.  
3. You can pick up the ball and re-drop it if you choose.  Just make sure you get your serve going within the 10 seconds after the score has been called.  The clock does not restart if you pick up the ball. 
4. You can drop it inside the baseline.  That is fine as long as you do not step on or over the baseline before you make contact with the ball. 
5. You may drop the ball from any height. 
   
   Very, very, very important, again on the Drop Serve, make sure you do an actual release of the ball from your hand and NOT a toss. 

And keep in mind that all the rules for your feet apply the same to the Drop Serve as they do to the Volley Serve.

4.A.4.a. At least one foot must be on the playing surface behind the baseline.
4.A.4.b. Neither of the server’s feet may touch the court on or inside the baseline.
4.A.4.c. Neither of the server’s feet may touch the playing surface outside the imaginary extension of the sideline or the imaginary extension of the centerline.

So let's play!