• Danish professional tennis star Caroline Wozniacki serving it up on SnapSports tennis surfacing

What Is Paddle Tennis?

The Game

With Paddle Tennis quickly becoming the go-to sport for serious tennis players in the off season, I wanted to take a few minutes to explain what it is and why it is such a great game for keeping your tennis fundamentals in check.

Paddle Tennis is like traditional tennis, but is played on a court that is relatively shorter. The smaller footprint makes it the ideal alternative for homeowners who love tennis but lack the space for a full tennis court in their backyard. Paddle Tennis involves the same techniques and movements as traditional tennis and engages the same muscle groups. Side-to-side movement is emphasized along with precision racket skills and the ability to play at the net.

The Equipment

SnapSports® outdoor tennis court flooring is a great surface for Paddle Tennis. The court measures either 50 or 44 feet baseline to baseline and 20 feet across, with the service line 3 feet in from the baseline. This creates a service box of 10′ x 22′. A SnapSports multi-game net is placed at 31 inches. On the west coast, a restraint line is drawn 12′ back parallel to the net. When in use, all players must keep both feet behind the restraint line until after the player receiving the serve has struck the ball. All paddle rules are similar to tennis.

Paddle Tennis uses a standard tennis ball with a reduced internal pressure so that when dropped from a height of 6 feet, it bounces to between 31 and 33 inches. You can purchase regulation Paddle Tennis balls through SnapSports or you can find them online. All paddle rules are similar to tennis rules.

The paddle is made of solid material such as wood or a composite of a rubberized or titanium core covered with graphite and contains no strings. It is usually textured or perforated and may have a metal rim around the head. Its dimensions are limited to 18″ in length and 9.5″ in width.

SnapSports is proud to supply top-of-the-line sports surfacing and we hope to see you out on the court!

By |January 6th, 2017|Residential, Tennis|