Official Size of a Tennis Court: Dimensions, Measurements & Layout Explained

The first time I tried to mark a tennis court on an empty, I thought it would be simple. I just need to measure a rectangle, draw some lines, and that’s it. Boy, I couldn’t be so wrong. It was pretty confusing for me.

How wide is a tennis court? Are singles and doubles the same size? Where exactly does the service line go? That’s when I understood how specific and standardized tennis court dimensions actually are. 

If you are like me and have similar questions, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, I will walk you through the official size tennis court and explain other measurements and sections. 

I will explain everything without making it sound complicated. So, bear with me. 

Tennis Court Dimensions (Standard Court)

Being one of the most popular sports in the world, it is common for you to wonder about the official size of a tennis court. 

Let me tell you that the official or standard court has fixed dimensions defined by the International Tennis Federation. Here is a quick look at the tennis court size (length & width). 

Court Length and Width in Tennis

The standard tennis ground size is: 

Court Length	23.88m or 78 feet
Court Width (Singles)	8.23m or 27 feet
Court Width (Doubles)	10.97m or 36 feet

One thing to note here is that the length of a tennis court size does not change. Only the width differs between singles and doubles. 

Court Size in Tennis (in Feet)

Doubles Tennis Court	78 ft × 36 ft
Singles Tennis Court	78 ft × 27 ft

Note: You must know that these measurements apply to all types of surfaces in tennis, including grass, clay, hard court, and synthetic. 

Tennis Court Measurements and Dimensions Explained

All measurements and dimensions are taken from line to line. It means the lines are part of the playing area. 

Court Measurements for Tennis 

Baseline to Baseline	78 feet
Singles Sideline to Sideline	27 feet
Doubles Sideline to Sideline	36 feet

The extra 4.5 feet on each side of a doubles court is known as the doubles alley. 

Tennis Ground Size (Width in Feet)

Singles Width	27 feet
Doubles Width	36 feet

You can see that there is a difference in the width. It explains why doubles court looks wider while using the same length. 

Tennis Court Size for Singles and Doubles

The official size of a tennis court has different dimensions for singles and doubles. Let me explain.  

• Singles Tennis Court Size: A singles court measures 78 feet in length and 27 feet in width, with a total area of 2106 square feet. Singles matches only use the inner sidelines and not the doubles alleys. 

• Doubles Tennis Court Size: A doubles court in tennis measures 78 feet in length and 36 feet in width, with a total area of 2808 square feet. The doubles alleys are used during the doubles matches. It makes the court a bit wider. 

Tennis Court Sections and Layout

After explaining the official size tennis court, I will explain its sections and layout. 

You might see a lot of boxes on a court used to separate different regions of the playing area. Understanding these boxes or sections helps players learn positioning, serving rules, and boundaries. 

Baseline, Service Line, and Center Mark

The baseline, service line, and center mark are crucial court markings that define play boundaries and service mechanics.

• Baseline: It is the back boundary line of the court. 
• Service Line: This line runs parallel to the net and stands at 21 feet from it. 
• Center Mark: It is the small line at the midpoint of the baseline. 

The center mark helps players position themselves correctly while serving. 

Service Boxes and Net Area

Now, I will tell you about the service boxes and the net area of the tennis court dimensions. 

Service Box Length	21 feet
Service Box Width	13.5 feet

The height of a court net is 3 feet 6 inches at the posts and 3 feet at the center. The posts are 3 feet outside of the doubles and singles courts. Each side of the court has two service boxes that are divided by the center service line. 

Other Important Tennis Court Sections

Apart from the sections I mentioned above, singles sideline, doubles sideline, doubles alley, and no-man’s land are other important court sections. 

• Singles Sideline: It is used in singles tennis matches. The singles sideline dictates the width of the field of play.
• Doubles Sideline: It is used only in doubles matches. Just like the singles sideline, it also dictates the field of play in the game. 
• Doubles Alley: It is the space between singles and doubles sidelines. It is also known as a tramline. The alley expands the court by 4.5 feet on each side. This space in the doubles matches shifts the strategy toward cross-court angles and down-the-line passing shots. 
• No-Man’s Land: It is the area between the baseline and the service line. This area is widely considered the most vulnerable spot on the court because the balls often bounce at the player’s feet here. This makes it difficult for players to hit offensive shots. 

Tennis Playground Dimensions (Including Run-Off Space)

From experience, I will tell you that this is the part most people forget.

A proper setup in tennis requires additional space just beyond the court lines. The players need additional space to run off. A tournament court requires a 130 ft by 70 ft area that includes space for umpires and players’ overrun. 

This is the recommended space around a tennis court. It includes run-off space behind baselines and clearance on both sides. 

Many people might wonder why extra space is required beside the official-sized tennis court. Well, the extra space allows for safe movement of players during fast rallies. The space is also better for spectator viewing. Oftentimes, schools and clubs overlook this. 

Conclusion

Once I properly understood the official size of a tennis court, everything became much easier. It is 78 feet long and 27 feet wide for singles and 36 feet wide for doubles. These court dimensions hold for all kinds of surfaces, including grass, clay, and hard courts. 

Players, coaches, and anyone else need to understand the tennis court dimensions, sections, and required space to play and watch the game safely. Moreover, along with being popular, it is also one of the hardest sports in the world. Therefore, to be fully informed about it, you should also check how does tennis scoring work.

FAQs

Sources: 

• Tennis Court Dimensions by Dimensions.com
• Court Size Guide by International Tennis Federation