Tennis Court Size

Tennis is one of the most challenging sports around, both physically and mentally. It is a given that it takes great athleticism to play, but one should also have a keen eye, presence of mind and a skill for strategy in order to master it. Moreover, the tennis court is more than just a venue for the game; its measurements are not random, but are specified to correspond with the type of match being played.

A tennis court’s basic measurements are a length of 78’ (23.77 m), a width of 27’ (8.23 m), and 39’ on its sides. At the center of the court hangs the net, which is attached via cord or metal cable to two posts positioned on opposite sides, each measuring 3 ½’ (1.07 m) high. The net should have a measurement of 3’6” at the posts and a height of 3’ (0.914 m) in the court’s center. The cord or cable used to suspend the net should have a diameter of 1/3” (0.8 cm), the strap holding down the net must have a width of 2” (5 cm), and the band covering the cord and the top of the net should have a depth of 2” (5 cm) to 2 ½” (6.35 cm) on each of its sides. The service lines should be at a distance of 21’ (6.40 m) away from the net. There should also be a clear space measuring 120’ long and 60’ wide around the tennis court that would allow players to reach balls that have overrun. 

The size of a tennis court can somewhat vary depending on the type of match being played. In doubles matches, for instance, the court has a width of 36’ (10.97 m), and the net post’s center should be 3’ (0.914 cm) outside on both sides of the court. Otherwise, the rest of the court measurements are practically the same. As for singles matches, the net’s center should be 3’ (0.914 cm) outside the court on each of its sides. Should the type of net being used happen to be one for a doubles match, it should be held up by two singles sticks measuring 3 ½’ (1.07 m) long, with their midpoints set 3’ (0.914 cm) outside on every side of the court. Also, the single sticks’ diameter should not measure over 3” square or 3” (15 cm), the diameter of the net posts should not exceed 6” square or 6” (7.5 cm), and the net posts and single sticks can stretch 1” (2.5 cm) over the top of the net cord.

The baselines are the lines drawn at the end of the tennis court, and the service lines are those that go between the lines at the court’s sides (the singles sidelines). Both of these should be 21’ (6.40 m) on either side of the net and lie parallel to it. The space between the net and the service line should then be divided equally into two, making up the service courts. The line dividing them is the central service line, which is drawn parallel to the singles sidelines and midway between. The mark at the center of the central service line should measure a width of 2” (5 cm). The baselines must then be divided into two halves by a 4” (10 cm) long mark at its center, drawing it inside the tennis court and running parallel with the singles sidelines.