Question

In tennis, what is a "let" on serve?

Answer 1

Answer: A serve that hits the net cord but still lands in the correct service box, resulting in that serve being replayed.

Explanation:

A service let is one of the most common situations you'll encounter in tennis. When a player serves and the ball touches the net cord during its flight but still manages to land in the correct service box, the umpire calls "let" and the serve must be replayed. This rule exists because hitting the net changes the ball's trajectory, making it unfair for the receiving player.

The key requirement for a service let is that the ball must land in the correct service box after touching the net. If the ball hits the net and lands outside the service box, it's simply called a fault, not a let. The server gets to replay that particular serve without any penalty - it doesn't count as either a good serve or a fault.

In professional tennis, there's no limit to how many consecutive lets can occur on a single point. Players have experienced multiple lets in a row, and each one results in a replay. The server continues serving until they either hit a clean serve (good or fault) or until the point is played normally.

It's worth noting that lets can occur on both first and second serves. If a player hits a let on their first serve, they still have their second serve available if needed. The term "let" comes from the old English word meaning "to hinder" or "to obstruct," which perfectly describes what happens when the net interferes with the serve.