What's the call? Serving in the doubles alley

Have you ever had a dispute with a fellow player over a call on the court that you couldn’t settle? Maybe you’re just curious about how some scenarios, from the common to the ridiculous, are resolved.

Question: In my doubles match, I was returning from the deuce side and getting aced out wide a bunch of times. My partner and I switched sides in the second set to see if he had better luck returning the serve. It took us long enough, but we finally realized why our opponent was getting such a good angle. She was serving between the singles and doubles alley.  Is it allowable for the server to serve from that position? 

Answer: A wise man once said that everything you need in life you learn in Kindergarten. So your opponent obviously used her coloring lessons and stayed within the lines.  In doubles, the server may stand anywhere behind the baseline between the imaginary extensions of the inside edge of the center mark and the outside edge of the doubles sideline. (Rule 18)

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For the "Friend at Court" handbook and more information on the rules of tennis, visit the rules and regulations homepage.