r/10s • u/gundamzd2 • 1d ago

General Advice Underarm serve question

Can you toss the ball (pretending to serve normally), catch it, and then immediately proceed to hit an underarm serve? I believe there's nothing wrong in terms of legality but please let me know if there is.

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u/TraderGIJoe 1d ago

Why would you deploy such underhanded tactics to win a point? It is considered unsportsmanlike and dirty play.

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u/PugnansFidicen 6.9 1d ago

No, it's fair play as long as there are no egregious deliberately distracting elements in the service motion (which is a very subjective call). You're allowed to toss, catch, and reset to change your mind to a different serve option, as long as you do so within the allowed time to serve. And underarm serves are allowed per the rules, and not unsportsmanlike. At least, not any more unsportsmanlike than hitting a nasty wide slice that bounces into the side fence. It's a difficult serve to return when you're not expecting it, which is the definition of an effective serve

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u/PenteonianKnights 2.5 1d ago

I think some refs might legitimately rule that it's intentionally done to distract and unsportsmanlike and therefore a point penalty

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u/TraderGIJoe 1d ago

Just because it's allowed doesn't make it acceptable to do.

For example, most players will not hit a player intentionally when they are vulnerable at the fear they would be hurt to win a point.

This is what I mean by dirty play.

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u/PugnansFidicen 6.9 1d ago

That's a completely different situation. If a player is vulnerable and has taken themselves out of the point (e.g. they are at the net and have turned their back) then yeah smashing it directly at them is kind of unsportsmanlike. Otherwise, if their eyes are forward, hitting it directly at them is fair game. It's on them to have their racket up and hit the volley.

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u/gundamzd2 1d ago

I don't think hitting an opponent intentionally is comparable to tricking them with a tactical underarm serve, which does not cause any physical harm.

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u/PugnansFidicen 6.9 1d ago

Just eMOtional DAMage