What loses the serve straight away in racquetball?
I · Intermediate · Serving · 2 of 4Checked 15 October 2026
Some serves cost the serve at once. They include a crotch serve into the join of the front wall and floor, side wall or ceiling, a serve that does not hit the front wall first, a fake or balk swing, a serve that touches the server, an illegal hit and a missed swing. The receiver scores.
How it works
- Crotch serve: out.
- Not front wall first: out.
- Fake or balk: out.
- Touched serve: out.
- Illegal hit: out.
- Missed swing: out.
- Delay after a warning: out.
- Result: point to receiver.
The glossary has the out serve, the crotch serve, the fake or balk serve, the touched serve, the illegal hit and the dead-ball serve.
Tricky cases
The serve hits the floor and back wall after the front wall. Out?
No. It is in play.
My partner catches my serve. Result?
Out serve.
I drop the ball and miss it. Result?
Out serve.
Is an out serve the same as two faults?
Same result: the serve is lost.
Why the rule exists
A crotch ball's bounce cannot be played, so it counts as missing the front wall.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Crotch | Out | L 3.9(g) |
| Fake | Out | L 3.9(d) |
| Touched | Out | L 3.9(c) |
From the rule book
International Racquetball Federation (IRF), Official Rules of Racquetball (2024-2026), Rule 3.9. Checked 15 October 2026. Official document: IRF Official Rules 2024-2026.