The court and permanent fixtures

Rule 1 — Court dimensions and boundaries

The court is a rectangle 23.77 m (78 ft) long. Its width is 8.23 m (27 ft) for singles and 10.97 m (36 ft) for doubles. The end boundaries are the baselines; the side boundaries are the sidelines. Each doubles alley is 1.37 m (4 ft 6 in) wide.

All court measurements are taken to the outside edges of the lines. The lines must have the same colour and clearly contrast with the playing surface. The Red and Orange courts described in Appendix VIII are also permitted for competition for players aged 10 and under.

Rule 1 — The net

A net divides the court across its middle. It hangs from a cord or metal cable passing over or attached to 2 posts at a height of 1.07 m (3.5 ft). The net must fully fill the space between the posts, with mesh small enough to prevent the ball passing through.

At the centre, a tight strap holds the net at 0.914 m (3 ft). A band covers the cord or cable and the top of the net. Both the strap and band must be completely white.

• The cord or metal cable may be no more than 0.8 cm (1/3 in) in diameter.
• The centre strap may be no more than 5 cm (2 in) wide.
• On each side of the net, the band must be between 5 cm (2 in) and 6.35 cm (2.5 in) deep.

Rule 1 — Posts and singles sticks

For doubles, the centre of each net post is 0.914 m (3 ft) outside the doubles sideline. With a dedicated singles net, each post centre is 0.914 m (3 ft) outside the singles sideline.

When singles is played using a doubles net, 2 singles sticks support the net at 1.07 m (3.5 ft). Each stick's centre is 0.914 m (3 ft) outside the singles sideline.

• Net posts may be no larger than 15 cm (6 in) square or 15 cm (6 in) in diameter.
• Singles sticks may be no larger than 7.5 cm (3 in) square or 7.5 cm (3 in) in diameter.
• Posts and singles sticks may extend no more than 2.5 cm (1 in) above the top of the net cord.

Rule 1 — Service courts and line widths

On each side, a service line runs between the singles sidelines, parallel to the net and 6.40 m (21 ft) from it. The centre service line divides the space between the service line and net into 2 equal service courts. It lies halfway between, and parallel to, the singles sidelines.

A centre mark 10 cm (4 in) long divides each baseline in half. It is drawn inside the court, parallel to the singles sidelines.

• The centre service line and centre mark must be 5 cm (2 in) wide.
• Other court lines must be between 2.5 cm (1 in) and 5 cm (2 in) wide, except baselines, which may be up to 10 cm (4 in) wide.
• Advertising is prohibited on the court, net, strap, band, posts and singles sticks except as expressly allowed in Appendix V.

Rule 2 — What counts as a permanent fixture

Permanent fixtures include backstops, sidestops, spectators, spectator stands and seats, and other fixtures around or above the court. The chair umpire, line umpires, net umpire and ball persons are also permanent fixtures when in their recognised positions.

In singles played with a doubles net and singles sticks, the doubles net posts and the portions of net outside the sticks count as permanent fixtures. They do not count as the playing net or its net posts. This distinction matters when a ball touches them.

Rule 2, Case 1 — Attachments to net posts

A net-post attachment is permitted if its size and placement are reasonable and it is approved as Player Analysis Technology. The dimensions below are the rule's guidance for such attachments.

• The attachment should be no more than 50 cm wide parallel to the net, 40 cm deep perpendicular to it, and 122 cm high.
• It should not project more than 10 cm inward from the post, 20 cm above the post, or 20 cm from the plane of the net.

Appendices IX–X — Setting out a combined court

The court plan and marking instructions use measurements to the outside of the lines. For a combined singles and doubles court, first choose a straight net line 12.80 m (42 ft) long and mark its centre X.

From X in each direction, mark the singles sidelines at 4.11 m (13 ft 6 in), the singles-stick positions at 5.03 m (16 ft 6 in), the doubles sidelines at 5.48 m (18 ft), and the net-post positions at 6.40 m (21 ft). The posts are at the ends of the initial net line.

Place pegs at the doubles-sideline intersections with the net line, labelled A and B in the plan, and attach a measuring tape to each. Use 16.18 m (53 ft 1 in) for the half-court diagonal and 11.89 m (39 ft) for the sideline. Pull the tapes taut until they meet at a baseline corner, C. Reverse the measurements to find the other corner, D.

Check that baseline CD measures 10.97 m (36 ft). Mark its centre J and the singles-sideline ends 1.37 m (4 ft 6 in) inward from each doubles corner. Locate the service line and centre service line using points 6.40 m (21 ft) from the net along both singles sidelines and the centre line. Repeat the procedure on the other side of the net.

Appendix X — Singles-only layout and support positions

A singles-only court can be set out by the same method, omitting the lines outside the singles boundaries. Alternatively, attach the measuring tapes at the singles-sideline intersections with the net line and use a diagonal of 14.46 m (47 ft 5 in) with a side length of 11.89 m (39 ft) to locate each baseline corner.

For that singles-only arrangement, posts occupy the positions otherwise used by singles sticks. The appendix recommends a singles net of 10 m (33 ft). When a doubles net is used for singles, use the 1.07 m (3 ft 6 in) high singles-stick supports specified in Rule 1, centred 0.914 m (3 ft) outside each singles sideline. White dots at the stick positions help accurate placement.

Appendix X — Approved blended lines

Where a sanctioning body permits blended lines, the following guidelines apply. These additional markings are not an unrestricted exception to the normal court-line requirements.

• Use the same colour family as the playing surface, but a lighter shade. The variation is limited to +22 points on the L* scale; the stated paint guidance is to add no more than 25% white paint by volume to the background colour.
• Their pace must be within 5 CPR of the playing surface.
• They must be 1.0–1.5 cm narrower than standard lines.
• End them 8 cm before intersections with the white playing lines.

Appendix X — Recommended clearances

These are recommended minimum clearances, not a change to the marked court dimensions. International competition guidance differs from recreational and club guidance.

• For international competition, allow at least 6.40 m (21 ft) from each baseline to the backstop and 3.66 m (12 ft) from each sideline to the sidestop.
• For recreational and club play, allow at least 5.48 m (18 ft) behind each baseline and 3.05 m (10 ft) beside each sideline.
• The recommended minimum ceiling height, measured at the net from the court surface, is 9.0 m (29.6 ft).