To start a game, the first server will serve diagonally into the service square of the opposing team. The serve must be hit from behind that baseline and bounce before it can be returned by the opponent.
The return of the serve must bounce on the server’s side of the net before it can be played out of the air. After the second bounce, the ball can be played out of the air as a volley or off the bounce like a traditional tennis point.
The point ends when:
- A ball bounces twice on the same side of the net
- A ball is hit into the net
- A ball is hit out
- A fault is committed
A unique aspect of the game is the non-volley zone (NVZ) aka the kitchen that is marked by the horizontal line 7ft from the net. Players cannot volley the ball when they are in the kitchen, so it is recommended to stand just behind the NVZ line. If a player volleys a ball from outside the kitchen, they cannot enter the kitchen until their momentum from hitting the shot is stopped.