For another sport called "beach paddleball", see Matkot. For other sports called "paddleball", see Paddleball (sport).
Beach Tennis USA takes the fun and fast-paced sport of tennis and combines it with the sun, sea and sand of the beach.
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Beach Tennis was formalized in 2005 in New York City by Marc Altheim . He discovered beach tennis on a trip to Aruba in 2003 . The sport had been played in Aruba since 2000, having been introduced by a Dutchman. As of 2007, beach tennis has made progress toward acceptance as a mainstream sport with an official standards organization known as Beach Tennis USA (BT USA). In 2007, BT USA signed two television deals: one with SNY in New York City and one with the Tennis Channel. The Tennis Channel agreed to televise three major BT USA or National Beach Tennis / Beach Paddle Ball Association tournaments. The Miami BT USA open featured 40 teams including several formerly highly ranked pro tennis players including Jay Berger and Pablo Arraya. In 2007, Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf played the sport.
Beach tennis merges the world of beach volleyball and tennis and is accessible to a wide range of participants.
It is related to beach volleyball but played with a tennis ball and paddle or racket. The court is a standard beach volleyball court that is 30 feet wide and 60 feet long. There is a center line that splits the court lengthwise. At the center of the court, there is a 5-foot-10-inch-high (1.78 m) net. A standard tennis racquet or a paddle and a slightly depressurized tennis ball (6 lbs instead of 12 lbs) are used.
Sanctioned Beach Tennis USA events are different depending upon the number of entrants, number of courts available and time. Typically, the preliminary rounds are round-robin, or pool-play. This means that there is a pool of four, one would play all the other teams in your pool (3 matches). The top 1 or 2 teams from each pool advance to the elimination rounds (single-elimination).
The rules are a mix of tennis and volleyball rules. Ball that hit the sand result in a point. Scoring is similar to tennis with scores of 15 - 30 - 40 and no-ad at deuce. There is only one contact per side. Balls that hit the net remain in play. At deuce, the receiving team chooses which player will receive.
In BT USA sanctioned events, each match consists of one eight-game set. The match must be won by two games. If the match score is tied at 8-8, a 12-point tennis tiebreaker is played to determine the winner.
Beach tennis was one of the attractions at the Family Circle Cup, in Charleston, South Carolina, on April 2007. Beach Tennis USA will organize its first professional tournament there.
The BT USA 2008 tour will commence in Key Biscayne, Florida on the grounds of the Sony Ericcson Open. The 2008 season will be nationwide, and a network of events under the BT USA banner will help foster the growth of the sport.
In 2008 the exposure to the sport of beach tennis increased, with new broadcast agreements with Fox Sports Net (FSN) in California and Florida and from coverage on TV shows like NBC's Today Show.
In other countries beach tennis is called beach paddle Ball or nation-specific names like matkot in Israel and Racchettoni in Italy. It was first played in Romagna near Ravenna and Rimini in 1978. Later, in 1996, it was formalized by Italian Gianni Bellettini, president of International Federation Beach Tennis-IFBT. The best players in the world are from Ravenna Italy: Alex Mingozzi and Matteo Marighella, two times USA National Champions and four times world champions.
In Italy the official federation is F.I.T (Italian Tennis Federation) which is the only federation recognized by ITF.
The present general regulation is made by the International Federation Beach Tennis-IFBT to provide rules for competition.
Rule 1. Court Area
The playing area must be 16m lengths and 8m width, at right angles. (Beach Volleyball) The playing area is divided into 2 parts by a net. The net stands at 1.70m at the middle for the outdoor game. Singles court area is 5 metres by 8 metres per side. The line is a part of the court. Any part of the body touching the line whilst serving is a foot-fault.
Rule 2. The Ball
The ball is similar to the one used in court tennis, but of specialized low compression.
Rule 3. Server and Returnee
Players must be opposite each other: the player who starts the point is deemed the server and the other, the returnee. When playing Mixed Doubles, male servers must serve under hand.
Rule 4. Toss
The side or right of serve is determined prior to the game start. The player who wins the toss, may serve, receive or nominate the opponent chose. Each new server is allowed a practice serve, but must notify his or her opponent.
Rule 5. The Serve
Must be done outside the court area, and should the server infringe, loss of point is the result. Only one serve per attempt. This can be done overhand or underhand.
Rule 6. Service Fault
A fault occurs if the server misses whilst attempting to hit or the ball hit a furnishing or fixture i.e. Net post. If the server invades the court prior to contact, a fault is also the result.
Rule 7. When Serving
If a ball makes contact with the net, it is a "live" ball. Matches can be played without a referee.”
Rule 8. Service Order
The service is the same as lawn tennis, with a player serving out the duration of the game; the serve will alternate, following a pre-established order of serve. E.g.: especially in Doubles.
Rule 9. Change of Ends
Will occur when the score is at odd number of games or at the end of a set.
Rule 10. How to determine points.
A ball is sent outside the playing area after contact. If a player does something to distract the opposition players on purpose, whilst they are attempting a shot. (Gamesmanship)The reply is effective, should the ball hit the net and land in the opposite playing area. It is not possible to reply whilst invading the opponent’s court. The game is Aerial; the ball is always played on the volley! Game Score is the same as Lawn Tennis. No Advantage, sudden death at deuce!
Rule 11. Official Decisions
In a match where a referee is present, his/her decisions are definitive. A ball CANNOT contact court fixtures, namely the post and rebound into court. (This rule is the same as beach volleyball, and is unlike tennis)
Rule 12. Duration of Match
Can be varied, depending on program, but competition play will be a 7 up set, Tiebreak at 6 all. E.g.: 7/6 wins set. E.g. If you play up to 6, tiebreak at 5-5. Players change ends after 4 points in Tiebreak, TB played as per tennis to 7 points. Doubles can be played to 9 games, tiebreak at 8-8, as in World Championships.
Rule 13. Racquets
Only Authorised equipment by the AFBT/IFBT can be used to competition or tournament play. Racquets must adhere to the regulation lengths and widths. Paddle Racquets are not permitted for competition and tournament play however can be used in demonstration and come try purposes.