How To Play Spec Tennis
In Spec Tennis, the rules & scoring system are simple. It can be played as singles (1 vs. 1) or doubles (2 vs. 2) on a pickleball court (44 ft. x 20 ft) or the service boxes on a tennis court (42 ft x 27 ft).
A point begins with an underhand serve, and the pickleball ‘no-volley zone’ is not observed, allowing players freedom to play (and volley) from all areas of the court.
Click on the drop-downs for more in-depth rules.
The Court
Official court is a pickleball court, which is 44 feet long x 20 feet wide.
Equipment
Spec Tennis Paddles + Orange Dot Tennis Balls.
Start a Match
- When playing Doubles, all 4 players must stand behind the baseline until the server strikes the ball.
- One player will start serving from behind the right corner of the court with one foot 4 feet behind the baseline.
- The server can strike the ball directly out of the hand or perform a bounce-serve. In both cases the serve must be underhand, and must land into the back diagonal box (crosscourt).
- The server only gets one chance--a missed serve is a loss of point.
- After the point is over, the same player serves from 4 feet behind the left corner of the court, making the serve land into the back right box (diagonal from the server).
- Continue alternating sides with the same server until one game is completed & then a server from the other team serves the next game.
Scoring
- A Game is 1st team/player to win 4 Points.
- A Set is 1st team/player to win 4 Games.
- A Match is 1st team/player to win 2 sets (or 3 sets depending on chosen format).
Ways to Win Points
- Your opponent hits a ball into the net
- Your opponent hits a ball that does not land inside the boundaries of the court
- You hit a Winner--a shot that lands inside your opponent’s court but bounces twice before they touch it
Other Rules
- If a ball lands ‘on the line’ it’s “IN”
- If a serve clips the net & then lands in the appropriate box, the point is played like normal.
- When a game score is tied 3-3, the receiving team gets to choose which side to receive the serve from (left or right side)
- Only swap ends of the court after a “Set” has been completed
- Best of 3 sets for recreational play, Best of 5 sets for tournament play.
Check out the video to quickly learn all you need to know to get started!
The Spec Tennis Court
Click on the different hot spots to learn the different sections of the court.
Court Size
44 ft x 20 ft
4 Spec Tennis courts fit on 1 tennis court
Net Height
34” in the center, 36” on the sides
Service Marks
The service marks are 4ft behind the corners of the court.
Where to Serve From
The server must have 1 foot on the service mark when serving.
Ready to Get Started? Try Spec Tennis Today!
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