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The surface may be grass, a variety of asphalt, clay, porous concrete, or other composition. It is marked out with white lines. The lines are included within the limits of the court.
The net is suspended between two posts from a cable covered by white tape. At its centre it is kept taut by a vertical strap which is firmly fixed to the ground. The height of the net may be adjusted by a handle attached to one of the posts.
Racquets can be made of wood, graphite, steel or similar composition. Racquets generally weigh between 350 to 400 grams.
Tennis balls must be white or yellow and should weigh between 56.7 to 58.5 grams.
Normally men play against men and women play against women, except in mixed doubles, where opposing pairs each consist of a man and a women.
By tradition the shirts and shorts of the men and the skirts, blouses, and dresses of the ladies are white, though it is now more commonplace to see coloured clothing. Generally white socks and rubber-soled shoes are worn.
A match lasts a maximum of five sets for men and three for women. A men's match ends when one side has won three sets, and a women's match when one side has won two sets. Play is continuous, though in certain circumstances and in some countries players are allowed a rest of up to 10 minutes after the third set for men and the second for women. This break may be 45 minutes in equatorial countries.
Play is never delayed to enable a player to recover his strength or receive advice.
The umpire may suspend play indefinitely if factors such as crowd disturbance are affecting play.
Officials consist of an umpire 1 assisted by a net-cord judge 2, linesman 3, and foot-fault judge 1.
The choice of service and sides (ends) is decided by spinning a racquet in the air and calling rough or smooth - the two different faces of the racquet.
A match is scored in games and sets. In each game a player begins with no score (love). The first point scores 15, the second 30, the third 40, and the fourth wins the game unless there is a deuce, which is called at the score of 40-all. After deuce, the next point won is scored as an advantage to the player who won it, and if the player wins the following point he or she wins the game. The first player to win six games wins the set, unless each player has won five games, when play continues until one player is two games ahead.
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To prevent long sets, some tournaments use a tie-break system which comes into operation at a specified equal score (6-all or 8-all).There are several systems in use.
The server starts play by sending the ball over the net in to the service court. The player serves from alternate sides, first from behind the right court, and then the left court. The player must serve with both feet behind the base line and within imaginary continuations of the centre mark and side line. To serve, the ball must be thrown into the air and struck with the racquet before it hits the ground.
Throughout delivery of service the server must not change position by walking or running, nor touch with either foot any area other than that behind the base line within the imaginary extensions of the centre mark and the side line.
For the service to be good the ball must cross the net without bouncing and pitch into the service court diagonally opposite. The lines bounding that court are part of its area.
If the server or the service infringes any rule a fault is recorded. A second service is then permitted; if that is a fault the server loses a point.
It is not a fault if the ball touches the net but still falls into the appropriate court. This constitutes a let, and the serve is taken again. A let is also called if the ball is served
before the receiver is prepared. The receiver must allow the ball bounce before returning it.
In the next game the service passes to the receiver.
Players change ends at the end of the first and third games and any subsequent alternate game in each set.
A change of ends at the end of a set occurs only if the total number of games in that set is an odd number. If the number is even the change takes place after the first game of the new set.
A point is lost when the player fails to return the ball over the net before it touches the ground twice on his side of the net;
returns the ball so that it first hits the ground outside his opponent's court, or strikes any object outside that court;
hits the ball into the net;
hits the ball twice;
hits the net with his/her person or racquet;
plays the ball before it has crossed to his/her side of the net;
is hit by the ball anywhere other than on the racquet;
deliberately hinders an opponent (a let is played if any hindrance is accidental).
A return is good if it bounces within the court after crossing the net.
The ball may touch the net or cross outside the post as long as it lands in the correct court.
A player's racquet may pass over the net after hitting the ball
as long as the player did not strike the ball before it crossed the net.
The doubles game is played within a wider playing area. Except for the order of service, the same rules apply as for singles.
Service
The pair about to serve in the first game decides which player shall serve for that game.
The opposing pair decides similarly for the second game.
The player in the first pair who did not serve in the first game serves in the third game, while the fourth player serves in the fourth game. The same order is kept throughout each set.
Receiving
The pair about to receive in the first game decides which player shall receive the first service. That player then receives all the first services in the odd games of that set. Similarly, the pair due to receive in the second game makes a choice, and the chosen player receives the first service in the even games of that set.
In each games partners receive the service alternately, either partner of each pair being allowed to return the ball.
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