Introducing the Hottest New Game in Town: Beach Tennis!
Take the fun and fast-paced sport of tennis … combine it with the sun, sea and sand of the beach … and you have beach tennis, the hottest new game in town!
Beach tennis merges the worlds of tennis, beach volleyball and badminton into one exciting sport. It can be played both competitively and recreationally and because it’s so simple to play, it appeals to athletes and non-athletes of all ages.
So what exactly is beach tennis? It’s like regular tennis except it’s played on a regulation beach volleyball court. Using tennis rackets, two players on each team volley back and forth, hitting a tennis ball directly over the net without letting it bounce … it’s hard to make the ball bounce on sand! One hit per team is all that’s allowed.
Your team scores a point each time your opponents let the ball hit the sand. Scoring is tallied just like in tennis … 15 - 30 - 40 and no-ad at deuce.
Beach tennis originated on the beaches of Brazil and has been played in several European countries over the past few years. It is wildly popular in Aruba, where beach tennis tournaments are beginning to attract players from all over the world. Over 300 players competed in the most recent International Beach Tennis Tournament in Aruba.
Now, this exciting sport is being brought to America by Beach Tennis USA. Exhibition matches will be held in several cities along the East Coast beginning in May and the first U.S. tournament is scheduled to take place in Long Beach, NY, in August, a week before the U.S. Open. A top prize of $10,000 will be awarded.
The Rules
The rules of beach tennis are similar to regular tennis:
• Scoring is 15 - 30 - 40 and no-ad deuce
• At deuce, returning team chooses side (left or right)
• Unlike regular tennis, you only get one chance to serve the ball.
If your serve hits the net and goes over, it counts … just like in beach volleyball.
• Each match consists of one eight-game pro set, with a seven-point tiebreaker at 8-8
Remember, the Number One rule in beach tennis is to have fun!
