Paddle tennis

Paddle tennis (Rebranded as Pop Tennis in 2015)[1] is a game adapted from tennis and played
for over a century. Compared to tennis, the court is smaller and has no doubles lanes, and the
net is lower. Paddle tennis is played with a solid paddle as opposed to a strung racquet, and a
depressurized tennis ball is used.

The same court is used for both singles and doubles, with doubles being the dominant form of
play. The smaller court size adds a strong emphasis and advantage to net play and creates a
fast and reaction-based game. The game is gaining reputation and has spread out in Dubai and
Egypt, where local leagues and tournaments are organized frequently.

History

Paddle tennis began in 1915, with its development by an Episcopal minister, Frank Peer Beal, in
lower Manhattan. Wanting to create recreational activities for neighborhood children, he got the
city's parks and recreation department to lay courts in Washington Square Park in Greenwich
Village in 1915. The first tournament was held in 1922, and the United States Paddle Tennis
Association (USPTA) was formed the following year. By 1941, paddle tennis was being played in
almost 500 American cities.[2]

Although Frank Peer Beal is known as the game's inventor, Murray Geller, a player in the 1940s
and ‘50s, was instrumental in creating the modern game. Elected chairman of the USPTA rules
committee, he wanted to make the game more appealing to adults and instituted features
including an enlarged court and an underhanded serve.[2] [3]
Scott Freedman has won the World’s Men’s Singles Paddle Tennis Championships 19 times, the
World Men’s Doubles Championships 16 times, and the World Mixed Doubles 14 times.[4] He
wrote a book titled Paddle Tennis and Tennis: Anyone Can Play.[4]

Similar sports

Platform tennis is a similar sport, which was invented in 1928 in Scarsdale, New York, USA by
James Cogswell and Fessenden Blanchard. The primary difference from paddle tennis is that
the platform tennis court is 6 feet shorter, fenced by taut chicken wire off which the ball can be
played. Platform tennis uses a solid sponge rubber ball and overhead serving is permitted.
Platform tennis is popular in the Northeastern and Midwestern U.S., since the raised court (the
platform) can be heated for winter play.

Padel (not to be confused with "Paddle tennis"[5]) is also similar. Padel is typically played in
doubles on an enclosed court about half the size of a tennis court. It is popular in Spain and
Hispanic America.

Pickleball is a similar sport invented in 1965 on Bainbridge Island WA. It uses a similar size court
and paddle, but uses a plastic "whiffle" ball.

Rules

The court

Paddle tennis courts[6] are constructed of the same materials as tennis courts, or can also be
placed on hard beach sand. The court measures 50 feet (15.24m) baseline-to-baseline and 20
feet (6.09m) across, with the service line 3 feet (0.91m) in from the baseline. This creates a
service box of 10x22 feet (3.04x6.70m). The net is placed at a height of 31 inches (0.78m). On
the west coast, a restraint line is drawn 12 feet (3.66m) back parallel to the net. When in use, all
players must keep both feet behind the restraint line until after the player receiving the serve has
struck the ball. All paddle rules are similar to tennis. Paddle tennis second serves also have to
be bounced at least once in the other opponents side.

Summary

Players: Four, played in a doubles format.

Serves: Serves must be underhand. A second serve is allowed only in the event of a net ball
that lands in bounds, as in tennis.

Score: Scoring method is the same as in tennis. Matches are best of five sets.

Ball: Tennis ball with reduced pressure.

Paddle: Solid with no strings. May be perforated.

Court: There are two styles of courts. East and West coast styles.

Walls: Walls or fences play the same role as in tennis, once the ball comes in contact with
either the point is over.

See also

Padel - with walls

Platform tennis

Pickleball

Beach tennis - same format, but on sand

References

1. "History of POP Tennis (Paddle Tennis)" (https://www.poptennis.com/history/) . Retrieved

2020-07-02.

2. "Archived copy" (https://web.archive.org/web/20130822075111/http://www.paddletennis.biz/

history.htm) . Archived from the original (http://www.paddletennis.biz/history.htm) on
2013-08-22. Retrieved 2013-08-03.

3. "A Guide to POP Tennis (Paddle Tennis)" (https://sportprosusa.com/pop-tennis-guide/) .

Retrieved 2020-07-02.

4. "Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame Home" (https://scjewishsportshof.com/freed

man.html) . scjewishsportshof.com.

5. "Platform Tennis vs Padel vs Paddle Tennis" (https://thepicklesports.com/padel-vs-paddle-ten

nis-vs-platform-tennis/) . Retrieved 2020-03-29.

6. "POP Tennis (Paddle Tennis) Rules & Court Dimensions" (https://thepicklesports.com/pop-ten

nis-rules/) . Retrieved 2020-07-02.
Retrieved from
"https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?
title=Paddle_tennis&oldid=1069093665"

Last edited 2 days ago by 71.187.20.100