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Rule
1: Dimensions & Equipment
Length
50'
Base line to base line
44'
Service line to service line
20'
Side line to side line
A
basic court shall be 50 feet long and 20 feet wide.
There
shall be a line 3 feet within the base line, known as
the Service line.
Lines
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(1)
Service Line:
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22'
from net, 3' in front of base line, 20' wide
with closed ends matching side lines, on each
end of the court.
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(2)
Center Line:
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Longitudinally
through center of court, from service line to
service line.
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(3)
Restraint Line:
(Where
Authorized)
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12'
from the net, parallel to base line on each
side of the net.
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(4)
Base Line:
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3'
behind the service line, 20' side with closed
ends matching side lines, on each end of the
court.
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(5)
General Requirements:
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(a)
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All
lines shall be 2" wide.
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(b)
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All
dimensions shall be measured to
outside of lines, except for center
line.
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(c)
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Lines
for doubles and singles are identical.
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Net
Posts & Nets
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The
top of the net shall be exactly 31" above
the surface for the entire width of the court,
pulled taut by a steel cable which shall pass
over the tops of two posts which shall be
18" outside each side line. There shall
be no more that one inch allowable sag at
center if there is no steel cable and ratcher.
The
net shall be 22' long by 2'6" wide.
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Net Construction (Recommended)
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Heavy
cotton, tarred, or Deluxe braided
polyethylene; similar to Gold Medal Paddle
Tennis Net; Douglas Net, and Carron Net with
steel cable.
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Fence
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(1)
Height:
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Minimum
of 10' high
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(2)
Length & Width:
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Dimensions
fence to fence are:
Tournament 40' wide x 80' long.
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Court Surfaces (The same as for
conventional tennis courts.)
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(1)
Composition:
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Textured
acrylic finish, similar but not limited to
Plexipave, Laycold, Kemiko, Play-On, etc.;
also Clay, Har-Tru, Omni-Turf and Mod-Sod.
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(2)
Color (Suggested):
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Hard
court playing surface to be green or
light-blue; side and rear areas to fencing to
be Terra-cotta.
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(3)
Lighting:
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(1)
Height:
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Pole
mounted lighting fixtures to be not
less than 20' high.
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(2)
Brightness:
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30
footcandles reading at court surface
evenly distributed. (Recommended)
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Ball
& Paddle
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(1)
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The
Ball shall be a pressurized tennis ball
approved by the United States Tennis
Association for tournament play which has its
internal pressure reduced by being punctured
so that when dropped from a height of
6'0" to the playing court surface, the
bounce will be not less than 31" nor more
than 33". Puncturing with a hypodermic
needle or safety pin is a simple method of
achieving the required bounce.
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(2)
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The
Paddle shall be made of solid material or
materials, and shall be not more than 9
1/2" x 18". It may be perforated
and/or textured, but shall contain no strings;
all paddles are subject to approval by the
U.S. Paddle Tennis Association.
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Attire
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(1)
Shoes must have non-marking rubber soles.
(2) Players must wear
proper court attire.
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Rule
2: Permanent Fixtures
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Permanent
court fixtures include: The net, posts, cords,
or metal cable, strap and band, back and side
stops, chairs and their occupants, umpires,
judges, linesmen, ball persons when in their
assigned positions and all other fixtures
above or around the court.
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Rule
3: Server & Receiver
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The
players stand on opposite sides of the net.
The player who serves the ball shall be called
the Server. The player receiving shall be
called the Receiver. (Serving team or
Receiving team)
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Rule
4: Choice of Side & Service
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The
player who wins the toss or paddle spin may
choose or require his opponent to choose -
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(1)
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The
right to serve or receive, in which case the
other player shall choose the side; or
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(2)
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The
side, in which case the other player shall
choose the right to serve or receive.
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Rule
5: Service
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Only
one serve is allowed. The Server shall stand
behind the base line and within the imaginary
extensions of the center and side lines. The
server shall then project the ball by hand
into the air and strike it with the paddle at
a point not higher than 31" above the
court surface at the instant of impact; or,
the Server may bounce ot drop the ball to the
court surface behind the base line and strike
it with the paddle upon its rebound at a point
not higher then 31" above the court
surface. Delivery shall be deemed complete at
the instant of impact of paddle and ball.
The
Server may choose either method of serving,
that is bouncing the ball or projecting it
into the air before striking it with the
paddle. However, whichever alternative he
chooses, he must continue to serve in that
manner for the entire set. In other words, he
cannot switch from a bounce serve to the
projecting serve at will; although he may
change his manner of serving at the
commencement of a new set.
The
serve must land within the service area on the
Receivers side diagonally from where the
Server stands. If the serve fails to land
within said area or if the Server strikes the
ball higher than 31" above the court
surface at the instant of impact the serve is
a fault and the Server loses that point.
One
ball only shall be used during a set. Server
may not substitute another ball during an
unfinished set without consent of opponent or
tournament official, nor may Server hold
another ball when serving.
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Rule
6: Foot Fault
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The
Server, shall throughout the delivery of the
Service:
Not
touch, with either foot, any area other than
behind the base line within the imaginary
extensions of the center line and side line
before contact is made between the ball and
paddle.
If
this rule is violated, a foot fault shall be
called and the Serving Team will lose the
point.
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Rule
7: Alternate Courts
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(1)
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Service
shall begin in the right hand or
"deuce" court at the start of every
game and shall progress from there to the left
hand or "ad court," thus alternating
at each point until the game is completed. If
the ball is served from the wrong court, and
is not detected, all points scored will stand,
but the correct station shall be assumed
immediately after the mistake is discovered.
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(2)
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The
Served ball shall land in the diagonal court
in that area bounded by the service line (not
the base line), the longitudinal center line,
and the net.
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Rule
8: Fault
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It
is a Fault if:
(1)
The Service breaches any part of rules 5 or 6.
(2)
The Server, in attempting to serve, misses the
ball.
(3)
The ball served touches a permanent fixture
(other than the net, strap or band) before
hitting the ground.
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Rule
9: Receiver
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The
ball may not be served until the Receiver is
ready. If he attempts to return a serve, he is
deemed "ready." If the Receiver
indicates he is "not ready", and the
service is a fault, he may not claim the
point. The serve is replayed as a
"let" ball.
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Rule
10: Let
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When
a "let" is called under the rules,
or to provide an interruption to play, the
point shall be replayed.
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