Court and Equipment

The playing area for platform tennis court is 60 feet long by 30 feet wide, surrounded by a 12-foot-high superstructure that holds a "chicken wire" screen with 1-inch hexagonal openings. The court is 44 feet long and 20 feet wide.

A net divides the court into halves. The net is 37 inches high at the posts, which are 18 inches outside the court, and 34 inches high at the center.

The lines marking the end of the court are the baselines and the lines marking the sides of court are the sidelines. Alley lines run the length of the court, parallel to the sidelines and two feet inside them. On each side of the net are service lines, 12 feet from the net and running from alley line to alley line. The center service line divides the area between the net and the service line into two service courts.

The forecourt, which contains the service courts, is the area between the service line and the net. The backcourt is the area between the baseline and the service line. The alley is the area between the sideline and the alley line.

There's an access door on each side of the court, near the center of the side screen.

The ball is made of rubber, with flocking. It's 2.45 to 2.55 inches in diameter and weighs 70-75 grams. The paddle must be no more than 18 inches in length and it may have up to 87 perforations, each a maximum of 3/8 inch in diameter. The surface has to be flat, but may be slightly textured.

Top of page

Progress of Play

The rules of platform tennis are generally those of lawn tennis. The usual game is doubles, in which the alleys are in play. In singles, the alleys are not in play.

The first serve is made from the right side of the court. Thereafter, the server alternates from side to side. In doubles, partners alternate returning service.

The serve must be made into the alternate service court and must hit the deck before it can be returned. In doubles, only one service attempt is allowed, but two attempts are allowed in singles.

It is a fault if:

• The server doesn't take a legal position
• The server changes position by walking or running during delivery of service
• The server touches either foot over the baseline or on the wrong side of the center mark before striking the ball
• The ball doesn't land in the correct service court
• The ball hits the server's partner

If the serve touches the net cord, post, or center strap before landing in the correct service court, it's in play. This is one difference from lawn tennis, in which a let would be called and the server would be allowed another attempt.

It is a let in platform tennis if the service is delivered before the receiving team is ready, if a shot hits an overhanging obstruction such as a diagonal corner support beam, if the ball is broken while a point is being played, or if the ball gets stuck in the screen or leaves the court through a hole in the screen. In the case of a let, the point is replayed. If the serve touches a member of the receiving team before hitting the deck, the server wins the point. This applies even if the player hit is standing off the court.

After a legal service, play continues until the point is decided. The point is lost when:

• The ball bounces a second time before it is returned, provided that the first bounce was within the court
• A shot hits the deck beyond the sidelines or baseline
• A player hits the ball before it has crossed the net
• A player touches or hits the ball more than once
• The ball touches any part of a player or his/her clothing
• The ball is hit in such a way that it bounces over the screen or into a lighting fixture or light pole
• Both players on a team hit the ball, simultaneously or consecutively

Top of page

Scoring

As in lawn tennis, zero points is called "Love," the first point is called 15 or 5, the second point is called 30, the third point is called 40, and the fourth point is called "Game."

A game must be won by more than one point. If both players or teams reach 40 (three points each), it is called deuce, and two consecutive points must be won to win the game. The team that scores the first point after deuce is said to have the advantage, or "ad." If the team with the advantage wins the next point, it wins the game. If the other team wins the next point, the score reverts to deuce.

The team that is the first to win six games first wins the set, provided that the winning margin is at least two games. When each team has won six games, a 12-point tiebreaker is usually used to determine the winner.

In a tiebreaker, the first team to win seven points wins the set, unless the score reaches 6-6, in which case the tiebreaker continues until a team has won by two points.

A match is usually the best of three sets.

Top of page