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Tennis
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Tennis is a racquet sport played between either two players ("singles") or two teams of two players ("doubles"). Player(s) use a stringed racquet to strike a hollow rubber ball covered in felt over a net into the opponent's court. The ball may bounce off the court only once on each side.
The tennis court should have the following lines:
- the baseline
- the serviceline
- the sideline
- the central serviceline
The court shall be a rectangle, 78 feet (23.77 m) long and, for singles matches, 27 feet (8.23 m) wide. For doubles matches, the court shall be 36 feet (10.97 m) wide.
The lines at the ends of the court are called baselines and the lines at the sides of the court are called sidelines. Two lines shall be drawn between the singles sidelines, 21 feet (6.40 m) from each side of the net, parallel with the net. These lines are called the servicelines. On each side of the net, the area between the serviceline and the net shall be divided into two equal parts, the service courts, by the centre serviceline. The centre serviceline shall be drawn parallel with the singles sidelines and half way between them. Each baseline shall be divided in half by a centre mark, 4 inches (10 cm) in length, which shall be drawn inside the court and parallel with the singles sidelines.
- The centre service line and centre mark shall be 2 inches (5 cm) wide.
- The other lines of the court shall be between 1 inch (2.5 cm) and 2 inches (5 cm) wide, except that the base lines may be up to 4 inches (10 cm) wide.
All court measurements shall be made to the outside of the lines and all lines of the court shall be of the same colour clearly contrasting with the colour of the surface.
The court shall be divided across the middle by a net suspended by a cord or metal cable which shall pass over or be attached to two net posts at a height of 31/2 feet (1.07 m). The net shall be fully extended so that it completely fills the space between the two net posts and it must be of sufficiently small mesh to ensure that a ball cannot pass through it. The height of the net shall be 3 feet (0.914 m) at the centre, where it shall be held down tightly by a strap. A band shall cover the cord or metal cable and the top of the net. The strap and band shall be completely white. The maximum diameter of the cord or metal cable shall be 1/3 inch (0.8 cm). The maximum width of the strap shall be 2 inches (5 cm). The band shall be between 2 inches (5 cm) and 21/2 inches (6.35 cm) deep on each side. For doubles matches, the centres of the net posts shall be 3 feet (0.914 m) outside the doubles court on each side. For singles matches, if a singles net is used, the centres of the net posts shall be 3 feet (0.914 m) outside the singles court on each side. If a doubles net is used, then the net shall be supported, at a height of 31/2 feet (1.07 m), by two singles sticks, the centers of which shall be 3 feet (0.914 m) outside the singles court on each side. The net posts shall not be more than 6 inches (15 cm) square or 6 inches (15 cm) in diameter. The singles sticks shall not be more than 3 inches (7.5 cm) square or 3 inches (7.5 cm) in diameter. The net posts and singles sticks shall not be more than 1 inch (2.5 cm) above the top of the net cord.
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|Match-Set-Game| |Rules| |History|
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