Double fault
The loss of a point in tennis when the server misses with both service attempts.
Definition
In tennis and similar racquet sports, the server is allowed two attempts to put the ball into play with a legal serve. If both the first and second serves fail to land in the correct service box, the server commits a double fault and immediately loses the point.
A double fault is one of the few ways to concede a point without the opponent having to play a shot, which is why players often use a safer second serve to avoid it.
Where you’ll hear “double fault”
Sports that use this term:
Tennis
A singles or doubles racquet sport that blends agility, strategy and stamina on court.
Padel
A sociable, doubles-first racquet sport played in an enclosed court where the walls stay in play.
POP Tennis
A friendly, easy-to-learn racquet sport on a smaller court with solid paddles and a lower net.
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Follow the threads that connect Double fault to the rest of SocialSportHub.
Rules
- Tennis serving rulesThe rules governing how a tennis point begins, including where the server stands and where the serve must land.
- Foot faultA serving fault called when the server's foot touches the baseline or court before striking the ball.
- LetA call that stops a point and has it replayed without penalty, used across several racket sports.
- Double dribbleA basketball violation for dribbling with two hands at once, or for dribbling again after picking up the ball.
- False startA rule breach in a race when a competitor begins to move before the starting signal is given.
Skills
Tactics
- Serve and volleyAn attacking tennis tactic where the server follows their serve to the net to finish the point with a volley.
- Baseline playA patient tennis style built around rallying from the back of the court and constructing points with groundstrokes.
- Doubles formationHow a pair positions itself on court — one up, one back, or both at the net — to control space in doubles.
Scoring systems
- Tennis scoringTennis is scored in points, games and sets, using the distinctive 15–30–40 point sequence and a win-by-two margin at every level.
- Football (soccer) scoringFootball is scored by goals, with each goal worth one point and the team scoring the most goals winning the match.
- Padel scoringPadel borrows tennis scoring, counting points as 15–30–40 within games and playing sets to six games decided by a tiebreak.
- Table tennis scoringTable tennis is scored on every rally to 11 points per game, won by two clear points, over a best-of odd number of games.
- Tiebreak scoringA tiebreak is a short deciding game used in racket sports to settle a set that has reached an even number of games, scored in simple numbers to a fixed target.
Positions
- Point guardThe point guard is basketball’s primary ball-handler and playmaker, running the offence and setting up teammates to score.
- Central midfielderA central midfielder operates in the middle of the pitch, linking defence and attack while contributing to both.
- SetterThe setter is volleyball’s playmaker, taking the team’s second contact and delivering accurate sets for hitters to attack.
- StrikerA striker is the main attacking player in football, positioned furthest forward with the primary job of scoring goals.
- Fly-halfThe fly-half is rugby’s chief decision-maker and tactical kicker, directing the backline and controlling how the team attacks.
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- Content type
- Term
- Provenance
- Tier A — evergreen educational
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- Content updated
- 2026-08-04
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