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Intro to Soft Tennis 101

Basic Rules of Soft Tennis

Soft tennis is a sport originating from Japan, with some differences from traditional hard court tennis. Here are the basic rules of soft tennis:

Court

  1. Soft tennis uses the same court dimensions as hard court tennis.
  2. Singles matches use the singles court, while doubles matches use the full court.

Racket and Ball

  1. Soft tennis rackets are similar to hard court tennis rackets but are usually lighter.
  2. Soft tennis balls are larger and softer, made of rubber.

Game Rules

  1. Serving:

    • When serving, the ball must cross the net and land in the opponent’s service box.
    • Players have two chances to serve. If the first serve fails, they can serve again but cannot re-toss the ball.

  2. Scoring:

    • A 7-point system is used; the first to reach 7 points wins.
    • If the score reaches 6-6, a player must win two consecutive points to win the game.

  3. Match Format:

    • Singles matches typically use a best-of-three sets format.
    • Doubles matches typically use a best-of-five sets format.

  4. In-bounds:

    • A ball landing on or inside the lines is considered in-bounds.
    • A ball that touches the net and lands in the opponent’s court is also valid.

  5. Net Touch:

    • During play, players must not touch the net.
    • If a serve touches the net and lands in the correct service box, the serve is retaken.

  6. Changing Sides:

    • Players change sides after the first game, then every two games thereafter.
    • In a tiebreak, players change sides every 4 points.

Soft tennis emphasizes skill and strategy. Compared to hard court tennis, the ball speed is slower, but the game pace is faster. This sport is particularly popular in Asian countries such as Japan, Korea, and Taiwan.