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Tennis 101: Equipment

Tennis 101: Equipment
Posted at 5:09 PM, Mar 08, 2021
and last updated 2021-03-18 18:01:28-04

Racket
A tennis racket consists of a lower handle, called a grip, and a frame that contains a tightly wound web of strings. The grip and frame are connected by a neck. While rackets vary in terms of length, manufacturer, and materials used, there are mandatory guidelines: for example, a racket cannot exceed 29 inches in length or 12.5 inches in width.

Ball
A tennis ball is made of hollow rubber and covered with felt. An official tennis ball is approximately 2.575 to 2.7 inches in diameter and 2 ounces in weight.  

Court
The surface of the court at the Tokyo Games will be hardcourt -- specifically, DecoTurf.

Net
The net is attached between two poles equidistant from the center of the court. The height of the net in the center is 0.914m in the center and 1.07m on each of its two sides.

Court dimensions
A tennis court measures 78 feet in length and either 27 feet (for singles) or 36 feet (for doubles) in width; each doubles alley, running the length of the court, is 4 feet, 6 inches wide. The court is divided into two equal sides by a net standing three feet high at the center of the court. On each half, a center line extends perpendicular to the net until connecting to the service line, which runs parallel to -- and 21 feet from -- the net.