Lines of the tennis court
Several lines make up a standard tennis court. Each line has its own name and helps describe the player zones on the court. Here are their names and measurements.
1. Baseline
This line is placed at the farthest distance from the net. This line measures a total of 36 feet or 12 meters. Yet the distance inside the zone for playing singles measures 27 feet or 9 meters.
2. Sideline
Sideline runs along the length of the court on the outside edge and is approximately 27 feet apart (9 meters) from each other. The length of the entire sideline is 78 feet long or 26 meters.
3. Service line
This is also called the service land and is the next line past the baseline. It’s only 21 feet (7 meters) from the net and also measures 27 feet wide (9 meters).
4. Centerline
The centerline sits inside the service line. It separates one half of the court creating two zones called the Ad court and Deuce court. This line measures 21 feet (7 meters) from the service line to the net.
5. Court lines that are marked on the ground
Except for the baseline, all the outer lines that mark sections and zones on the tennis court are 1 inch (2.5cm) wide. Both the service lane and center service lines must be 2 inches (5cm) wide. The baseline is allowed to be 4 inches (10cm) wide.
Area of the tennis court
The amount of space that a tennis court takes up depends on the size of the court that’s built. Recreational courts and competition courts are slightly different in size. The recreational court takes on a standard dimension of 120 feet by 51 feet. The playing area allows for 2,808 sq. feet based on a 78′ x 36′ court.
A double court measures 120 feet by 60 feet, allowing two players to be on the court. This in total represents 7,200 sq. feet for a double court.
Full-size tennis court: Square feet dimensions in feet/ meters/m2
Since there are different sizes of tennis courts, they all have specific dimensions allowed for size.
- Recreational: 114′ x 56′ – 34.8m x 17.1m – 6,383sq. feet – 593.09 m2
- International (minimum): 120′ x 60′ – 36.6m x 18.3m – 7,200sq. feet – 668.90 m2
- International (recommended): 132′ x 66′ – 40.2m x 20.1m – 8,712sq feet – 809.37 m2
How many square feet do you need for a tennis court?
The amount of space that takes up a tennis court always depends on the size court you intend on building. The difference of actual court size can range between 2,106 sq feet for singles and 2,808 sq. feet for doubles. If we take into consideration the square feet used for the entire space that a court sits upon, these measurements are different.
A recreational court takes up 6,383 square feet but an upgrade for a doubles court measures 7,200 square feet. Tournament courts will be a bit larger with 8,812 square feet.
How many square feet do you need to build a tennis court?
This is a consideration that every contractor will want to know beforehand. You might not have enough space to have a larger-sized court installed if you don’t have enough square footage. Here is what you’ll need to have available to build a tennis court.
A recreational (home court) needs at least 6,383 square feet of space to build a court that measures 114′ x 56′. For those who want to have a larger court meant for playing doubles needs at least 7,200 square feet. This can allow a court that will measure 120′ x 60′ in size. But if you want to invite Andre Agassi or John McEnroe for an afternoon match in your backyard, you’ll need 8,812 square feet of space. This is for a standard tournament court measuring 132′ x 66′ in all.
Tennis court size for your home?
It’s nice to have a tennis court in your backyard or located on the side of your property. Even Michael Jordan had a nice tennis court built next to his mini-golf course. But if you’re thinking of having a tennis court installed, you’ll need to have more than enough room. Most people are limited by their property size so it makes sense to have a mini residential court. These are tennis courts that aren’t regulation but large enough to play one-on-one.
This is often a court that measures 114 feet by 56 feet, or roughly 593.09 square meters of land needed. The more space you have, the better the chances you’ll be able to build a larger court.
How many acres is a tennis court?
You might be surprised to find out how much the space of a tennis court makes up in acres. Not that you’ll be telling friends at the local coffee shop these amazing stats, so here they are. A home court that is taking up 114ft by 56ft is giving you 0.146556474 acres. Now if you want to impress your golfing buddies on how big your doubles court is- get ready for this. A double tennis court measuring 120′ x 60′ gives a total of 0.165289256 acres.
The total size in acres for the Big Dawg’ courts taking up 132 ft by 66ft gives you a whopping 0.2 acres. Just be sure to add plenty of bikini babes and plenty of Bling, and all your friends to join the party.
Tennis court area in square feet
The contractor that you hire to build your tennis court will need to know how much property is available. This is described as square feet but not limited to length and width in feet. Square feet can describe a total area that space occupies, but doesn’t describe the shape. This is why length and width gives a better visual indication of size and shape. A tennis court at home takes up 6,383sq feet if the court is a total of 114′ x 56′.
But for the larger courts, you can expect 7,200sq feet for a doubles court that’s 120′ x 60′. Lastly, tournament courts are the largest with 8,712sq feet with 132′ x 66′ laid out.
How big is a tennis court in square feet?
The actual playing area of a tennis court is a lot smaller than the overall court area. What is the size difference from a residential court Vs the professional courts? Here are the numbers
1. Residential court size
27 feet by 78 feet, giving you 2,106 square meters of court space
2. Doubles/tournament
36 feet by 78 feet, giving 2,808 square meters of playable court space
The only exception is that a tournament court will take up larger length and width outside the baselines for better mobility.
Typical tennis court size?
Is there such a thing as a typical tennis court in a residential home? The answer is yes, the standardized sizes are often downsized in the overall area used. The playing court is never shrunken for that reason. For example, a home-court measures 78ft x 27ft, but takes-up a total of 114ft x 56ft. Ideally, the option to add a doubles court would fit into a residential-sized space.
Larger sized courts that allow for more room would need 132ft x 66ft to house a court that is 36ft x 78ft. If your home allows this amount of court dimension and measurements, you’ll have a typical tennis court too.
