Tennis Court Sizes: Our Guide

Tennis is a popular sport, although the modern iteration is worlds away from where it started, where a racket wasn't used at all - the ball was hit with an open palm instead! The court itself has changed a lot over the years, too; tennis court surfaces were originally made out of hard surfaces.

It wasn't until much later that grass courts came into play.

Aside from what it's constructed from, the tennis court size is a really important factor in the game. Of course, the size of a tennis court will vary slightly depending on the type of game being played (i.e., whether it's a singles or doubles match), but there are a couple of different standards.

If you're preparing to construct a tennis court, or you're just purely curious about tennis court dimensions, our guide has all the info you need.

Read on for more!

The Parts of a Tennis Court

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There are several components to a tennis court that you should be aware of. Recognising the different elements will help you in constructing the court, and it's really important you account for all the correct measurements.

Firstly, the singles side-line, which is the outer edge of the court boundary used during a game. 

Next, there is the baseline. This is the furthest backline at either end of the court. The players serve from this line during a game; the line itself is bisected by the centre mark, which is used as a homing point for players. Most courts also have a doubles side-line which is the outermost edge used during a doubles game.

Obviously, no tennis game can take place without a net! The net splits the court into two, running perpendicular to the sidelines. The tennis posts have levers that can be used to adjust the net if necessary.

The service box is another marking within the tennis court. When the ball is served, it must land within the opposition's service box.

Finally, as mentioned above, the baseline centre mark makes up the last feature of a court, and it is where the ball is served from.

It's also important to note that both outdoor and indoor courts are constructed using the same markings and measurements.

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The Size of the Tennis Court 

Professional tennis courts do have to adhere to a few sizing regulations in order to make the court compliant. 

However, the size of a court that is purely for personal or recreational use is down to the discretion of the owner of said court. That being said, it may be easier to follow sizing advice.

For example, the height of your net should be around three feet tall; the posts should be a little taller, standing around three and a half feet tall.

A professional size tennis court tends to be around seventy-eight feet long. The baseline runs between the doubles side-lines; it is divided further by the centre mark, which runs parallel to the side-line; the baseline is thirty-six feet wide. 

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Courts also tend to have both a singles and a doubles side-line. They again run parallel to each other, providing the outermost boundary for either form of the game. Lastly, the service box is where the start of each point takes place.

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What Size is a Tennis Court? 

Professional tennis courts do have to adhere to a few sizing regulations in order to make the court compliant. 

However, the size of a court that is purely for personal or recreational use is down to the discretion of the owner of said court. That being said, it may be easier to follow official sizing advice so the court is suitable for all levels of play.

For example, the height of your net should be around 3 feet tall; the posts should be a little taller, standing around three and a half feet tall.

A professional size tennis court tends to be around seventy-eight feet long. The baseline runs between the double's sidelines; it is divided further by the centre mark, which runs parallel to the sideline; the baseline is thirty-six feet wide. 

Size of a Singles Tennis Court

The total area of a singles tennis court is 195.65 metres². The singles sidelines are 23.77 metres (or 77.99 feet) long, and the baseline is 8.23 metres (or 27 feet) wide.

The singles tennis net posts should be placed approximately 0.91 metres away from the sidelines.

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Size of a Doubles Tennis Court

The total area of a doubles court is 260.87 metres². The doubles sidelines are also 23.77 metres long - the same as singles - and the baseline is 10.97 metres (35.99 feet) wide.

The doubles tennis net posts should be stationed 0.91 metres away from the doubles sidelines (or 1.82 metres away from the singles sidelines).

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How to Measure a Tennis Court

When it comes to measuring a tennis court for personal use, you have more leeway. The minimum suggested length for a court – including runbacks – is around 120 feet, the minimum width – again, with room for runbacks is 60 feet; this provides ample playing space. 

The playing area without runbacks is obviously smaller, but you need more room than simply the markings of the court. 

You should always measure your court outside of the lines in order to get the correct measurement, although the centre line and the centre mark are both measured accurately to the centreline of the court itself. 

Depending on where you want to position your court, you also need to consider how much clearance you have, not just around the court markings themselves but in terms of the overhead clearance too. 

Whether the court is inside or outside, you need to ensure that there is enough room overhead for the game to be played unencumbered. 

The International Tennis Federation Facilities Guide contains all the 'best practices’ and regulations professional courts should follow.

Tennis Court Net, Posts & Court Accessories

The net, poles, posts, columns and their padding are the main court accessories you need to consider. The court isn't of much use without the net, after all!

The net poles are arguably part of the building process, but the padding is often something that you need to purchase separately.

Ordering the padding requires you to measure the diameter and the circumference of the post. You may also need to order a custom net if you have chosen to stray away from the standard size of a tennis court. Be sure to consider this when you are kitting out your tennis court.

You also need to think about where you are going to get the equipment for your tennis court from; you need to ensure that you are buying from a reputable seller like Edwards Sports, who can provide you with - almost - everything you need to get your court up and running.

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The Bottom Line

If you want a court that adheres to a professional standard, then you are bound to the sizing regulations mentioned above. 

Standard tennis courts remain largely consistent across tournaments and countries, although there may be a few deviations. If your court is exclusively for personal use, then you can pretty much tailor the court to fit your needs in terms of size; you can scale up or down as necessary. 

Most courts are designed to include markings for both singles and doubles games, so this is also something that you may want to consider. Having both sets of markings provides you with more options, but if you won't get any use out of one of the sets of markings, you can disregard them if you want to.

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