What is the two-bounce rule?

Rule 10.A of the 2026 rulebook: the serve and the return of serve must each bounce before being returned.

• If the receiver hits the serve before it bounces, it is a fault against the receiver.
• If the server or the server's partner hits the return of serve before it bounces, it is a fault against the serving side.
• After those two bounces, volleys (hitting the ball before it bounces) are allowed, subject to the non-volley zone rules.

Separately, a player must return the ball before it bounces a second time (rule 10.B), otherwise it is a fault against that player.