What is Beach Tennis?

Think of it as the cool, high-energy cousin of tennis and beach volleyball. The game combines the volley mechanics of tennis with the strategy of badminton, all played on the sand with solid paddles and a depressurized ball.

The golden rule? No bounce allowed. If the ball hits the sand (or any part of the player’s body), the point is over. It’s fast, rally-heavy, and incredibly social. Whether you’re a former pro or have never held a racket, beach tennis is a serious workout that feels like a day at the beach.

The Basics: How to Play

🚫 No Bounce: The ball must stay in the air. If it touches the sand, the point is over.

🎾 The Gear: We use solid paddles (no strings!) and a slightly softer, depressurized tennis ball (Stage 2 Orange).

🏐 The Court: It’s played on a standard beach volleyball court (16x8m) with the net at 1.7m or 1.8m high.

1️⃣ One Serve: Unlike regular tennis, you only get one chance to serve. If you miss, you lose the point.

💯 Scoring: Same as tennis (15, 30, 40), but with No-Ad at deuce. It’s sudden death!

A Global Game

Born in Italy in the early 1970s, beach tennis has exploded in popularity worldwide, becoming a major sport in Brazil, Spain, and now the US. It is officially recognized by the International Tennis Federation (ITF), which governs the rules and manages the Beach Tennis World Tour and championships.

Technical Specs & Advanced Rules

• Net Height: 1.7m (~5ft 7in) for Women, Mixed, & Juniors / 1.8m (~5ft 10in) for Men.

• 3-Meter Zone: Returning players cannot enter the 3-meter "Prohibited Zone" (marked on the court) before the serve is hit.

• Prohibited “No Block” Zones: No player (serving or receiving) may touch the sand within 3 meters of the net until the ball is hit.

  • When serving in professional men's doubles, this zone is 6 meters for the server's partner.

• Serving: You can serve from anywhere behind the baseline, within the imaginary extended sidelines, to anywhere in the opponent's court (no diagonal requirement!).

• The Ball: We use ITF Stage 2 (Orange) depressurized balls.

Download Official ITF Beach Tennis 2026 Rulebook