Soft tennis
Soft tennis is played on a tennis court with a soft, white rubber ball. Its rules are written for doubles: two pairs hit the ball over the net in turn, and either player on a side may play it. A pair wins a game by winning four points, and when the games are level one short of the end a final game decides the match. Singles uses the doubles rules on a narrower court.
New to soft tennis? Start here
How long
Matches of seven or nine games, the first to a majority winning
Lengths are from the rule book.
The big events, and why they matter
- 1World Soft Tennis ChampionshipsThe sport's own world title.To check · Holder: The 17th, Anseong
- 2Asian Games (soft tennis)The top multi-sport title in the sport.Every 4 years; held since 1994 · Holder: Japan 4 of the 5 golds
India
Jay Meena's bronze in the men's singles at Aichi-Nagoya 2026 is India's only Asian Games medal in the sport. New Delhi hosted the 15th World Championships in 2015 [the two pages].
- World Soft Tennis Championships: Hosted the 15th, New Delhi 2015
- Soft tennis at the Asian Games: Jay Meena's bronze in the men's singles at Aichi–Nagoya 2026, India's only medal in the sport
Countries to know
India and the nations that have done best, biggest titles first.
- IndiaSoft tennis at the Asian Games: 1 bronze (latest 2026)
- South KoreaSoft tennis at the Asian Games: 26 golds, 15 silvers, 23 bronzes (latest 2026)
- JapanSoft tennis at the Asian Games: 15 golds, 15 silvers, 16 bronzes (latest 2026)
- Chinese TaipeiSoft tennis at the Asian Games: 9 golds, 15 silvers, 19 bronzes (latest 2026)
Who runs it
| Rules made by | International Soft Tennis Federation (ISTF), Technical Rules (web text, site date 30 January 2024) |
| International federation | International Soft Tennis Federation (ISTF) |
| In India | Amateur Soft Tennis Federation of India: recognised, on the MYAS list for 2026 (entry 5). |
Where and when it is played
On a court the size of a tennis court, 23.77 by 10.97 metres, with a net 1.07 metres high. The big events: the World Soft Tennis Championships and the Asian Games every four years, with soft tennis since 1994.