- Joan Hahn
- April 16, 2021
- Last Updated on
Understanding tennis court dimensions is one way of getting better at the sport. It brings a lot of confidence to new tennis players. After all, tennis is a sport of angles, and the player who understands the angles best wins the match.
Learn about the tennis court dimensions, measurements, and layout in today’s article.
Tennis Court Layout & Dimension
The tennis court measures 78 feet in length. However, its entire tennis court length won’t be used in the match. There is a difference on a singles and doubles court surface.
In singles matches, the players only make use of 27 feet in width. Meanwhile, the doubles tennis court is larger, at 36 feet in width. The service line for doubles is 21 feet from the net posts.
Both singles and doubles need a playing surface, for every tennis court requires a run-off area. It is to avoid running to a fence during the game.
At an ATP and ITF-level, you need the area for the umpire, ball boys, and judges in a tournament play. Due to these factors, the ITF does not give out a minimum court dimension for singles and doubles.
Key Court Dimensions
The tennis court dimensions are 78 feet and rectangular. It is 27 feet wide, and it is divided across the center mark by a suspended net from a long cord or a metal cable.
The maximum diameter of the cord is 0.8 centimeters of the ends.
The net post is not an inch higher above the top of the cord.
The overall surface area is 2,106 square feet in a singles court.
Meanwhile, in doubles, it is 2,808 square feet.
Tennis Court Lines
The lines that you see on the court have a required thickness. The center service line, as well as the center mark, is 2 inches wide.
Other lines that you see on the court are between 1 inch to 2 inches wide. The exception is the baseline, near the no man’s land, which can go up to 4 inches wide.
The lines bound by the ends and sides of the court are referred to as baselines and sidelines, respectively.
It is at the side of the net with a distance of 21 feet from, and parallels with it are the service lines.
The space on the two sides of the net between the service-line and the sidelines or doubles alley is divided into two.
It is called the service courts, and it is two inches wide.
Size of Overall Playing Surface
The playing area differs on whether you are playing recreational tennis or international tennis.
As mentioned earlier, the tennis court diagram differs from your local tennis club and the layout from an official tournament. It is the same case with the overall playing area as well.
On an international court, the recommended dimensions are 132 feet with 66 feet. The run back distance is 27 feet behind the baseline, and the side-run is 18 feet.
Meanwhile, the international minimum is 120 feet with 60 feet. The run-back distance is 21 feet behind the baselines, and the side-run is 12 feet.
The recreational minimum is 114 feet for its total length with 56 feet for its playing area. The run back distance is 18 feet behind the baselines, and the side-run is 10 feet. The space between multiple courts is 12 feet.
Recommended Overall Surface Dimension
Singles
The recommended overall surface dimension for singles matches is 78 feet x 27 feet. In other words, it’s a total of 2,106 sq ft.
Just close to the no man’s land, the baseline is 27 feet long in a single court where players hit most of their groundstrokes.
The singles sidelines measure 39 feet long. The singles sideline defines the side boundaries in the game.
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Doubles
The recommended overall surface dimension of a doubles court is a little bigger than the singles because players use the tennis court’s entire area.
A doubles tennis court is 78 feet in length and 36 feet in width. In total, the doubles court measures up to 2,808 sq ft.
In a doubles tennis match, the baseline is 36 feet, which is 9 feet more than the singles court. As for the doubles sidelines or doubles alleys, it is 39 feet long. The doubles sideline marks the side margins of a doubles game.
Are Tennis Courts All The Same Sizes?
Yes, the standard tennis court size is the same. You’ll see that all-tournament tennis court size and registered tennis clubs are similar in size.
However, you will see a difference in size in the places around the market court as it differs from one venue to another. Some courts have more area to give than others.
On the other hand, there are certain exceptions to the rule. The junior court sizes are smaller as it is scaled down in proportion to full-size measurements.
What’s more, certain establishments prefer smaller courts for recreational play for children. In comparison to a tournament court, the tennis court dimensions are 20 feet shorter and 10 feet narrower.
If you plan on competing professionally, it’s best to find registered clubs in your local area to get accustomed to the standard court size.
Does Indoor Overhead Space matter?
Yes, the indoor overhead space matters. There is a minimum overhead clearance of 40 feet high up the level height of the net.
In a recreational indoor court for children, the recommended height above the net is 29.5 feet. The height above the baseline is 20 feet, and the height above the backstop is 16 feet.
In an indoor tournament court, the height above the net is 40 feet. The height above the baseline is 40 feet, and the height above the backstop is 40 feet.
The Davis Cup has 29.5 feet above the net. The height above the baseline is 29.5 feet, and the height above the backstop is 29.5 feet.
Finally, The Davis World Cup Group sports 39.4 feet above the net. The height above the baseline is 39.4 feet. Meanwhile, the height above the backstop is 39.4 feet.
FAQS
There are four types of court surfaces: hard tennis courts, clay courts, grass courts, and synthetic court tennis type.
The hard tennis court is asphalt and concrete. A clay court is used in the French Open (1).
The grass tennis court is a lawn court. A synthetic court is an artificial lawn court.
Yes, the tennis court dimensions are larger. The dimensions tennis court are 20 feet long and 10 feet wider than the dimensions of a tennis court for use.
However, for registered clubs and centers following the standard construction and size of a tennis court, all courts are of the same size.
The two exceptions are junior courts and private recreational tennis courts.
You need 7,200 square feet to build a tennis court. The recommended is 120 feet long, and the minimum width is 60 feet, which adds up to 7,200 square feet.
However, if it’s for recreational use. You’re only going to need 114 feet and 56 feet in width.
An ad service box or the deuce service box is where you need to put the tennis ball on the opposing side when you are serving. In every game’s first serve, you must land the ball in the service box on the ad court.
How Big is a Tennis Court?
A tennis court is 78 feet long, and the service line is 21 feet from the net posts. The tennis court for a single match is 27 feet wide. Meanwhile, a court for a doubles match is 26 feet wide.
In total, the tennis court size for singles is 2,106ft², and a doubles court is 2,808ft². While there are standard sizes for courts, courts for recreational or touch tennis are smaller in size courts than the tournament ones.
For competitive players, training in a registered court that follows a tennis court’s standard dimensions is recommended for better gameplay in an official match.
- https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/24/sports/tennis/french-open-roland-garros-clay.html
