Kitchen

The kitchen is the official nickname for the non-volley zone, the 7 foot section on each side of the net that spans the full width of the court. The line marking its edge is considered part of the zone itself, so a player who volleys the ball and then steps on or over that line, even with momentum carrying them forward, has committed a fault. The rule applies to both singles and doubles play.

The kitchen exists to stop players from standing right at the net and smashing every ball out of the air, which would turn the game into a power contest decided by height and wingspan. By keeping volleys away from the net, the rule forces a slower dinking exchange where both sides trade soft shots until someone forces an error or opens up space for a passing shot or lob.

A common point of confusion is thinking players can never enter the kitchen at all. In fact you can stand in it and even hit the ball while inside, as long as the ball has bounced first and you are not volleying it out of the air. The fault only happens when a volley and a foot in the zone happen together.