A Meticulous Guide To Tennis Court
Dimensions & Layout
A Meticulous Guide To Tennis Court Dimensions & Layout
If you’re new to tennis, it’s worth taking time to understand the dimensions, layout, and various parts of a tennis court. Doing so will help instill confidence the first time you step out on the court while also helping you gain an early awareness of how tennis is a sport of angles.
More practically, if you’re looking to build a tennis court or verify the construction of an existing court, it’s helpful to familiarize yourself with the size and specific court measurements.
Regardless of your aim, this comprehensive guide will share everything you need to know about the specifications of a tennis court, including the lines, different areas, and nuanced details consistent with regulations.
Exact Dimensions
A regulation tennis court that supports doubles and singles play measures 78 feet in length x 36 feet in width or 2,808 square feet per International Tennis Federation (ITF) regulations. The singles court is narrower, measuring 78 feet x 27 feet or 2,106 square feet.
For your convenience, here’s a table outlining the size of a court with imperial and metric conversions for each measurement. You can scroll or swipe left to right to view all data in the table.
| Measurement | Feet | Inches | Yards | Meters | Centimeters |
| Length | 78 ft | 936 in | 26 yd | 23.774 m | 2,377.4 cm |
| Width | 36 ft | 432 in | 12 yd | 10.973 m | 1,097.3 cm |
| Surface Area | 2,808 sq ft | 416,016 sq in | 312 sq yd | 260.872 sq m | 26,087.2 sq cm |
Please note that these measurements are made to the outside of a court’s painted lines, meaning all lines are considered fair play.
Also, keep in mind that these measurements are the size of the playing area for a tennis court, not including the run-off or space to the sides or back of a court that’s required for players to compete.
Diagram & Layout
To better understand the layout of a tennis court, here’s a diagram with measurements and labels that you can use as a point of reference while I review each part of the court in the following sections.
For a full-screen version of this diagram, please click here.
Overall Playing Surface Area
If you’ve ever stepped onto a tennis court, you’ve likely noticed space to the sides and back of a tennis court, allowing players to move freely around the court. This space is called the run-off.
The ITF recommends a minimum run-off for courts used for international competitions and recreational or club play. These measurements apply to all court surfaces, including hard, clay, grass, carpet, or concrete.
International Competition Run-Off
Courts for international competition have larger minimum run-offs to accommodate benches, umpires, and ball people.
- Behind Baseline: 21 ft (6.40 m)
- To the Side of the Court: 12 ft (3.66 m)
- Overall Court Length: 99 ft (30.18 m)
- Overall Court Width: 48 ft (14.63 m)
- Overall Court Surface Area: 4,752 sq ft (441.48 sq m)
Recreational or Club Play Run-Off
Courts for recreational or club play require less run-off but still provide plenty of space for players to move around the court without running into the surrounding fence or backstop.
- Behind Baseline: 18 ft (5.48 m)
- To the Side of the Court: 10 ft (3.05 m)
- Overall Court Length: 96 ft (29.26 m)
- Overall Court Width: 46 ft (14.02 m)
- Overall Court Surface Area: 4,416 sq ft (410.26 sq m)
Considering these are minimums, the amount of run-off varies widely from one court to the next. For example, the run-off on show courts at the Grand Slam tournaments is considerably larger.
Later in this guide, I’ll cover the sizes of center courts at the majors, which become a factor in the pros’ strategy and tactics.
Vertical Space
Indoor courts require one additional consideration, sufficient overhead space that ensures the ball doesn’t hit the roof or ceiling during play.
Like a court’s run-off, the ITF offers minimum requirements for competitive tournaments and recreational or club play.
| Type | Minimum Height Above Net* | Minimum Height Above Baseline | Minimum Height Above Backstop |
| Recreational | 29.6 ft (9.00 m) | 20 ft (6.10 m) | 16 ft (4.88 m) |
| Tournament | 40 ft (12.19 m) | 40 ft (12.19 m) | 40 ft (12.19 m) |
*Height above the net from the court surface.
Again, since these are minimum requirements, you’ll find that the ceiling height at different facilities may vary.
Floor Space
If you’re building a tennis court, you’ll want to ensure adequate space before starting the project, considering all of the required components of a complete court, including run-off and fencing. Here are the measurements needed for the court surface.
International Competition
- Overall Court Length: 99 ft (30.18 m)
- Overall Court Width: 48 ft (14.63 m)
- Overall Court Surface Area: 4,752 sq ft (441.48 sq m)
Recreational or Club
- Overall Court Length: 96 ft (29.26 m)
- Overall Court Width: 46 ft (14.02 m)
- Overall Court Surface Area: 4,416 sq ft (410.26 sq m)
Remember that these are the minimum court measurements for the playing area, so you’ll need to add between 3 and ten ft (.91 – 3.05 m) on all sides to accommodate the fence or backstop.
With that in mind, here’s the minimum space needed to build a tennis court for international competition and recreational use.
International Competition
- Overall Court Length: 102 ft (30.18 m)
- Overall Court Width: 51 ft (14.63 m)
- Overall Court Surface Area: 5,202 sq ft (483.28 sq m)
Recreational or Club
- Overall Court Length: 99 ft (29.26 m)
- Overall Court Width: 49 ft (14.02 m)
- Overall Court Surface Area: 4,851 sq ft (450.67 sq m)
Of course, you can add as much space as you’d like to accommodate any other needs. For example, if you want to add a covered bench or sitting area, you can increase the space around the court.
Lines
As a new tennis player, the lines of a tennis court are helpful to familiarize yourself with so you can easily follow instructions when learning how to play and follow along in conversation or listening to a broadcast.
Before jumping in, it’s worth noting that all tennis court lines have width specifications set forth by the ITF. They are as follows:
- Center service line: 2 in (5 cm) wide
- Center mark: 2 in (5 cm) wide
- Baseline: Up to 4 in (10 cm), no less than 1 in (2.5 cm)
- All other lines: Between 1 in (2.5 cm) and 2 in (5 cm)
Furthermore, all court measurements are to the outside of the lines.
Baseline
Doubles 36 ft (10.97 m) / Singles 27 ft (8.23 m)
The baseline runs parallel to the net and defines the farthest boundary, or back of the court, on each side. When playing, it’s where you will hit most of your groundstrokes (forehands and backhands) and the approximate location depth for standing to return a serve. Any shots that land beyond baseline are out of bounds.
Center Mark
4 in (10.16 cm) long
The center mark is the shortest line on the court that divides the baseline in half and runs perpendicular to the net. It defines the point you cannot cross when hitting a serve in the deuce (right side) and ad court (left side). It’s a useful point of reference, as coaches will always tell you to return to the center of the baseline after you hit a groundstroke.
Service Line
27 ft (8.23 m) wide
The service line runs parallel to the net and marks roughly the halfway point between the net and the baseline. It also marks the end of the service boxes. However, unlike the baseline, it extends only to the singles sidelines. Any serve that lands beyond this line in the court is out.
Center Service Line
42 ft (12.80 m) long
The center service line runs perpendicular to the net and connects with the middle of the service line on both sides of the court, creating two equal-sized service boxes on each side. As a result, its length is 21 ft (6.40 m) on each side of the net.
Singles Sidelines
39 ft (11.89 m) long
The singles sidelines run perpendicular to the net and define the side boundaries of the court for singles matches.
Doubles Sidelines
39 ft (11.89 m) long
The doubles sidelines run perpendicular to the net and define the side boundaries of the court for doubles matches. These lines fall four and a half feet outside of the singles sidelines.
Areas
With the lines of a tennis court, you’ll find different areas or boxes that form, which I’ve defined below.
Service Boxes
21 ft x 13.5 ft (283.5 sq ft)
6.4 m x 4.05 m (26.34 sq m)
The two equal-sized boxes created by the intersection of the service line and the center service line are the deuce (right) and ad (let) service boxes. To start a point, a player must hit a serve into one of these boxes, which is how they get their name.
Doubles Alley
39 ft x 4.5 ft (175.5 sq ft)
11.89 m x 1.37 m (16.30 sq m)
The space between the singles and doubles sidelines is called the doubles alley. The doubles alley is only fair play when competing in doubles. Otherwise, players ignore it for singles.
Back Court (No Man’s Land)
18 ft x 27 ft (486 sq ft)
5.49 m x 8.23 m (45.15 sq m)
The backcourt is the open space or the largest box on a tennis court between the service line and the baseline. Many tennis instructors and coaches will refer to this part of the court as ‘no man’s land.’ You want to avoid standing in this area because you’ll be too close to the net to hit a groundstroke and too far away from it to hit a solid volley. Generally, players transition through no man’s land, hitting an approach shot or coming to the net to hit a volley, but players won’t hang out there.
Additional Elements
Although the court surface is the foundation for competition, additional features are required to play the game. The following are essential elements that go along with a tennis court.
Net
42 ft long x 3.5 ft high at the posts (3 ft at the center)
12.8 m long x 1.07 m high (.91 m at the center)
The net splits a tennis court in half and runs directly through the middle of the court, serving as the primary obstacle when playing. A white strap measuring two inches wide in the center controls the net’s height, and it’s fastened to the ground to keep it tight.
Tennis nets should be a mesh with squares measuring one and three-quarter inches to ensure the ball can’t pass through while providing adequate visibility for players. At the top of the net, a white band measuring two and a half inches should cover the net chord, attaching it to the mesh so the net can suspend freely.
Helpful tip: Keep a retractable measuring tape or net checker in your tennis bag and measure the net’s height before playing. There are enough variables in tennis already, so I urge players to control the factors they can whenever they step on the court.
Net Posts
3.5 ft tall and no more than 6 in wide
1.07 m tall and no more than 15.24 cm wide
Net posts support the net and ensure proper height at both sides of the court and should fall three feet outside the doubles sideline directly at the middle of the court. In some cases, courts will have singles net posts instead of using singles sticks. These net posts will fall three feet outside of the singles sideline. The posts shouldn’t be wider than six inches.
Singles Sticks
3.5 ft tall and no more than 3 in wide
1.07 m tall and no more than 7.62 cm wide
When using a doubles net, singles sticks prop the net up to the required height of three and a half feet at the sides. Many courts won’t have singles sticks due to the hassle, and they’re easy to steal, and often competitive matches in high school and college play without them.
However, looking closely at the net while watching a professional tennis match, you’ll notice that tournaments always use singles sticks to ensure regulation height for the net. If you play on public courts and want to ensure the proper net height, you can purchase portable ones that collapse to fit in your bag.
Fencing
8 ft high for residential / 10 ft for club or park
2.438 m high for residential / 3.048 m for club or park
Fencing is typically installed at the perimeter of a tennis court to prevent tennis balls from leaving the playing area. Higher fences may be appropriate to prevent balls from causing damage or hitting someone.
Space Between Adjacent Courts
12 ft minimum / 24 ft recommended
3.658 m minimum / 7.315 m recommended
Often, multiple tennis courts are built adjacent to each other without fencing separating each court to save space or expense. In all circumstances, the minimum distance is 12 ft (3.658 m). However, for optimal playing conditions, increase the spacing to 24 ft (7.315 m).
Grand Slam Sizes
The four Grand Slam tournaments, including the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open, are the most prestigious.
If you’ve ever watched matches at these tournaments on TV, the broadcast likely provided center court coverage, where the highest-ranked players and most prominent names compete.
Also known as show courts, these have the largest fan capacity. Although the court size is the same as any other at 78 ft in length x 36 ft in width or 2,808 sq ft, the run-off or space to the sides and back is significantly larger for several reasons.
First, the court needs enough space to house the umpire, ball people, benches, coolers, and more. Aesthetically, the larger court also looks more appropriate in a huge stadium.
However, the added space around the court or run-off provides more area for the players to compete. Whether standing back further to return a player’s serve or running out wide to track down a ball, players can use the extra space to their advantage.
However, the center court at each Grand Slam event is different. Here are the measurements for each of them. You can scroll or swipe left to right to view the entire table.
| Tournament | Court | Side Run-Off | Back Run-Off | Total Length | Total Width | Total Area |
| Australian Open | 78 ft x 36 ft (23.774 m x 10.973 m) | 25 ft (7.62 m) | 32.97 ft (10.05 m) | 143.94 ft (43.873 m) | 86 ft (26.213 m) | 12,378.84 sq ft (1,150.032 sq m) |
| French Open | 78 ft x 36 ft (23.774 m x 10.973 m) | 21.03 ft (6.41 m) | 31.99 ft (9.75 m) | 141.98 ft (43.276 m) | 78.06 ft (23.793 m) | 11,082.959 sq ft (1,029.651 sq m) |
| Wimbledon | 78 ft x 36 ft (23.774 m x 10.973 m) | 22.01 ft (6.71 m) | 27 ft (8.23 m) | 132 ft (40.234 m) | 80.02 ft (24.390 m) | 10,562.64 sq ft (981.301 sq m) |
| US Open | 78 ft x 36 ft (23.774 m x 10.973 m) | 25 ft (6.41 m)* 17 ft (5.18 m)** | 27 ft (8.23 m) | 132 ft (40.234 m) | 78 ft (23.774 m) | 10,296 sq ft (956.53 sq m) |
*US Open left court run-off (umpire side)
**US Open right court run-off
As a result, the Australian Open features the largest tennis court of all the majors, while the US Open has the smallest court. Interestingly, the US Open has the largest seat capacity of all four at 23,771.
Kids’ Court Dimensions
To enhance the learning experience for children, instructors will use smaller courts for younger children. In the United States, it’s called 10 and Under Tennis, while in other countries like the United Kingdom and Australia, call it Youth Tennis and Hot Shots.
The essence of all programs is the same, to get kids involved in tennis with court sizes and equipment adapted to their age so they can learn quickly and have the most fun.
10 and Under Tennis has three color-coded levels corresponding with a child’s age, including red, orange, green, and yellow. For example, the red stage is for kids eight years or younger.
Here are the court sizes for each stage.
| Stage | Singles | Doubles |
| Red | 36 ft x 18 ft (10.973 m x 5.496 m) | n/a |
| Orange | 60 ft x 21 ft (18.288 m x 6.401 m) | 60 ft x 27 ft (18.288 m x 8.23 m) |
| Green | 78 ft x 27 ft (23.774 x 8.23 m) | 78 ft x 36 ft (23.774 m x 10.973 m) |
| Yellow | 78 ft x 27 ft (23.774 x 8.23 m) | 78 ft x 36 ft (23.774 m x 10.973 m) |
Of course, remember the run-off or maintaining enough space to the sides and back of the court so kids can run around unobstructed.
With that in mind, some parents can set up and chalk the lines for their kids on their driveway. All you need is a kids’ tennis net, and you’re well on your way to setting up a court at home.
Wrapping Up
Well, there you have it! Everything you need to know about the dimensions and layout of a tennis court.
Whether you’re new to tennis or looking to build a court, I hope you found this guide helpful for learning the basics. Of course, if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask in the comments below.
5-Point Friday
A brief recap of the five most interesting things I’m enjoying or thinking about in tennis.
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How much space/area should be left after base line/Net post as per international guidelines ( ft L* ft W)
Hey Narendra!
Thanks so much for your question.
International Competition
For international competition it’s recommended that the space or distance between the baseline and the backstop should be 21 feet. The distance between the sidelines and the sidestops is recommended to be 12 feet. If you’re measuring from the net post this distance should be 9 feet because the distance from the sideline to the net post should be 3 feet.
Recreational Play
The recommended measurements for recreational play are slightly shorter. 18 feet between the baseline and the backstop and 10 feet from the sideline and sidestops or 7 feet from the net post.
Hopefully this helps :) Please let me know if you have any other questions.
PS – here’s a quick bonus. If the court is indoors the minimum recommended height of the ceiling should be 30 feet.
All the best,
Jon
Sir great guidance this sure will help a lot of people…….
Thank you, Rao!
Thank you for the useful info on your site. Can you tell me what the stndard length of a net should be. If the posts are 3 feet outside of the doubles court lines how much is allowed for the static hook and winder spindle on either side.
Hey John,
Great question! Nets made for singles and doubles play are 42 feet in length. The width of a court including doubles alleys is 36 feet and the net posts are required to be placed 3 feet outside the doubles sideline. If we take the quick total (36+3+3) that gives us our 42 feet, which the net needs to cover.
Recognizing this the net should extend right to the edge of each net post. The cable that passes through the band at the top of the net will be a few feet longer than 42 feet so that there is ample cable to wind the net so that it’s taut – this extra length can vary slightly from manufacturer.
Hopefully this helps!
All the best,
Jon
I like tennis
I really appreciate your info on tennis
Hi Zanna! Me too ;) Thanks for stopping by and for the positive feedback.
its an amazing site 4 sure….I have a whole team n we train each an every day….. we’ve Neva met with a strong team….. we need a challenger
Are outdoor courts supposed to face a certain direction, to avoid sun or wind direction?
Hi Monte,
I love this question! It’s not super straightforward, but let’s dive into some of the details.
Generally, courts should have a north to south orientation. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west, so this orientation keeps the sun out of the player’s eyes. However, there are two other key factors to take into consideration:
– Time of day courts get the most use
– Seasons when courts are used (spring, summer, winter, fall)
– Latitude of the court’s location
The direction of the sun changes throughout the day and year. It also varies for locations further south or north of the equator. The key is to consider these three factors and then determine the best direction to optimize play by keeping the sun out of players eyes.
As for wind, I wouldn’t worry about it :) It’s best to focus on the direction of the sun first and foremost.
Hopefully, this helps point you in the right direction.
Feel free to share more details, and we can figure it out together.
All the best,
Jon
Great resource. I was looking for tips on how to set up the singles sticks to ensure the net is 6″ higher at its edges than in the middle. Is there an official way? How do you do it?
Hi Bryan,
Thanks for the note! Yes, there’s definitely an official way to make use of singles sticks.
First off, you’ll want to make sure your net is well tensioned. Then check to make sure the height at the middle of the net is 3 feet and adjust the strap if necessary.
Once you’ve done that, you can place the singles sticks on either side of the net 3 feet from the singles sideline, and that’s it. For reference, singles sticks are the same height as the net posts or 3.5 feet tall, and if you notice, the net posts are placed exactly 3 feet outside of the doubles sidelines, which I find is a good point of reference to help remember.
Hopefully, that helps, let me know if I can help clarify anything.
All the best,
Jon
Can you tell me total area I need to put a tennis court at the back of a house . Width. & length
Thxs
Hi Ash,
Here are recreational court specifications, including space for a fence:
All the best,
Jon
How high is the net in the centre
Hi Ron,
The net should be 3 ft (.91 m) at the center and held down by a strap.
Check out my guide on nets to learn more.
All the best,
Jon
What should be the minimum height of side fencing?
Hi Manvendr,
Here you go:
All the best,
Jon
Thanks so much for the info, but I have a quick question: How tightly do the court’s measurements need to conform to the stated specifications? For example, if the measurement of the doubles alley is 54″ plus-or-minus 1/16″, I’m guessing that would be acceptable(?). But what about if the variance is 1/4″? Or 1/2″? Many thanks!
Hi there,
For recreational play, a slight variance up to 1/4 inch isn’t going to matter, but it should be as close to regulation as possible. For competition, there shouldn’t be any variance.
All the best,
Jon
this is good works
Thanks, Tim!
What is the tolerence of the tennis lines..
Is it ok 1-2mm diference in the line?
Ex.
In a double tennis court the width and length is correct but there is a different in line width like 5.1mm 5.2mm.
Please advise..
Hi Sanja,
The 1-2mm difference wouldn’t be an issue as long as the measurements for the overall court dimensions are accurate. For competition, you’d want to adhere to the regulations:
All the best,
Jon
IfI wanted to put a roof over a double outside court to extend my season play time in the Northwoods of WI, what would the minimum height need to be so that I would not ricochet off the ceiling?
Jim
Hi Jim,
For recreational play, here are the minimum height recommendations:
Minimum Height Above Net
29.6 ft (9.00 m)
Minimum Height Above Baseline
20 ft (6.10 m)
Minimum Height Above Backstop
16 ft (4.88 m)
The height above the net is measured from the ground at the net.
All the best,
Jon
Hi. Got the inbound dimensions , what about the out of bounds required to place the fence all around the court? And how high should it be? Thanks. Bob L.
Hi Robert,
If I understand correctly, the out-of-bounds space you’re referring to is the run-off at the side and back of the court. Here are the minimum dimensions with three feet of extra space for the fence. How much additional space you use is entirely a personal preference.
International Competition
Recreational or Club
All the best,
Jon
Excellent post. I absoluely love this website. Keep it up!
Thanks!
Is there a particular reason that courts are lined up beside each other and would it matter if courts were not aligned with no partition between them. Our club has decided to take two courts that are presently in line with each other and put them out of line so they could gain extra space around the courts for a walkway. Could you offer any advise on this?
Hi Steffie,
It would be unusual, but as long as the required spacing for each court meets the requirements, then there’s no issue with this approach.
All the best,
Jon
If there are multiple adjacent tennis courts, what is the typical distance from outside of the doubles alley of one court to the outside of the doubles alley on the adjacent court? Is this dimension a fixed value or is a range of values specified?
Hi George,
It’s a 12-foot minimum, but 24 feet is recommended. Anything between those two figures will do.
All the best,
Jon
Is there a mandatory width for the white lines?
Am I correct to assume that all lines (except centre lines) lie ENTIRELY inside the given court dimensions? e.g. It is 39 feet from net to outside of baseline and 21 feet from net to outside of service line.
Note. The width of centreline is important – it adds half its width to the dimension for the playable width of service box (and C/L foot fault).
Hi Phil,
Yes, the requirements are as follows:
The court dimensions are measured to the outside of the lines, so they lie within the given court dimensions.
All the best,
Jon
what should the height of an indoor tennis court be at the sidelines?
Hi there,
The measurement recommendations for vertical height above an indoor court are based on three locations: the net, baseline, and indoor backstop.
For these, check out the section on vertical space requirements.
All the best
Jon
Hello,
I’m need to tennis and trying to construct my own tennis court in my back yard. Before lying down the 2 inch boundary lines, I was wondering how the thickness of the lines come into play. Do I place the line such that those two inches are inside the 27 feet boundary or split the difference?
Thank you,
Jeff
Hi Jeff,
The 27 feet is measured to the outside of the lines.
All the best,
Jon
How big is just one service box I love the website by the way
Hi Cordie,
Here are the dimensions for one service box:
21 ft x 13.5 ft (283.5 sq ft)
6.4 m x 4.05 m (26.34 sq m)
All the best,
Jon
What is the appropriate distance between the back corner of the doubles court and a side post or fence ?
Hi John,
For international competition, the space from the back corner of the doubles court to the side post is 12 feet. It’s 10 feet for recreational or club play.
All the best,
Jon
Thanks for your informative website. May I ask about the full size of the court and the surrounding area outside the court? In another word, how far should I keep the walls around the court for the indoor tennis court?
Hi Aziz,
Here are the minimum dimensions with three feet of extra space for the fence. How much additional space you use is entirely a personal preference.
International Competition
Recreational or Club
All the best,
Jon
Thank you for all the info!
For multiple tennis courts how far apart should they be laid? I imagine it is not necesary to double de 12 feet at both sides.
Thanks.
Hi Pablo,
12 feet at a minimum, but 24 feet is recommended between adjacent courts. If you’ve ever played on courts where they only used 12 feet, you likely can appreciate having more space.
All the best,
Jon