How big is a soft tennis court?
Officials' detail · Following a match · 1 of 2The doubles court is 23.77 metres long and 10.97 metres wide, the size of a tennis court, and the lines are part of the court. A black net 1.07 metres high crosses the middle. Around the court is an outcourt of more than 8 metres behind each base line and 6 metres beside each sideline.
How it works
- Doubles court: 23.77 m by 10.97 m; singles uses the service sidelines extended, 8.23 m wide.
- Lines: white, 5 to 6 cm wide; base lines may be up to 10 cm.
- Centre mark: 15 cm long, inside the base line.
- Outcourt: more than 8 m behind the base lines and 6 m beside the sidelines; 5 m between side-by-side courts.
- Net posts: 12.80 m apart and 1.07 m high, 7.5 to 15 cm thick.
- The net: black, 12.65 m long, mesh no bigger than 3.5 cm, a white band of 5 to 6 cm on top.
- Net height: 1.07 m at the sidelines, or no lower than 1.06 m where the posts allow.
- Outdoor surfaces: clay, sanded artificial grass or all-weather synthetic.
- Indoor surfaces: wood, sanded artificial grass, hard rubber or synthetic.
- Umpire's chair: about 1.5 m high, 60 cm from a net post.
The glossary has the court, the lines, the outcourt, the court surfaces, the net and the umpire's chair.
Tricky cases
The ball lands on the line. In or out?
In. The lines are part of the court.
Is the net lower in the middle, as in tennis?
The rules set the height at the sidelines and ask for the net to be tight and level, with no centre strap mentioned.
Can a court have a slight slope?
Yes. An outdoor court may slope slightly for drainage if it does not hinder play.
Which lines matter in singles?
The service sidelines and their extensions to the base lines become the sidelines.
Why the rule exists
Using tennis dimensions lets soft tennis share courts with tennis. The large outcourt gives room for the long, looping rallies the soft ball produces.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Doubles | 10.97 m wide | ISTF C 5 |
| Singles | 8.23 m wide | ISTF S 2 |
| Net | 1.06 m allowed where posts cannot reach 1.07 m | ISTF C 10, 12 |
From the rule book
International Soft Tennis Federation, Technical Rules (web text, site snapshot of 30 January 2024): Rules for Competitions, articles 2 to 12; singles rules 2 and 3; Rules for Operations of Competitions, article 3. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: the ISTF Technical Rules, published on the federation's website.