Sound Tennis Sussex
Tennis Rules, Scoring and Exercise Ideas
Playing area on a badminton court:
Playing area on a tennis court
Rules
Serving
“Normal” Tennis Rules
Changes for Sound
Tennis
You get 2 chances to
serve
No difference
Before the serve, server
calls “Ready”, server
replies “Yes”, server
says “Play” as they
serve.
Ball touches the netcord If the ball falls “in” the
on the serve
serving area, replay the
serve (called a “let”),
otherwise it is out
No difference
Foot fault
No difference – but it is
usual to warn the player
they are in danger of a
foot fault
If the server's foot
touches, or is over, the
backline when serving, it
is a foot fault (= eg fault
service)
Ball touches the netcord Play continues
at any other point in the
game
No difference
The ball hits a player
before it touches the
ground
The point is always
The point is “against” the
“against” the person who person if they are
has been hit
standing in the court
area, but the ball is
called “out” if it the
person it hits is outside
of the playing area
On the line? In or out?
If the ball touches the
line, it is called “in”
No difference
Umpire and line judges
should not just say
“fault”, but should
explain if the ball was
long (over the baseline),
or wide (over the side
lines) and can be asked
to give an estimate of by
how much the ball was
out.
Volleying
You can hit the ball
before it bounces
Volleying not allowed.
You cannot hit the ball
before it bounces
Bounces
You must hit the ball
before the second
bounce
Sighted players can
have 1 bounce, vision
impaired 2 bounces, B1
(no sight) players can
have 3 bounces
Scoring
Games, sets and
matches
Matches are usually won Matches are often
by the first person to win settled by just 1 set.
a specified number of
sets (usually best of 3 or
5 sets), each set being
won by the person
winning a specified
number of games, each
game being settled by
winning a specified
number of points.
Scoring progression for
games
Except in a tie break, the No difference
scores in a “game” are:
0 (or “love”)
15
30
40
Calling the score
The server's score is
No difference
usually called first by the
umpire (for example “30
– 0” when the server has
won the first 2 points)
Where the serve is
played from
The first point is played No difference – except
from the right hand side for the “no advantage”
of the court, and it
rule as described below.
alternates thereafter.
Deuce
If the score is 40 – 40, it
is called “deuce”. The
game must be won by 2
clear points, so the next
player to score a point
has “advantage” - if they
Often in tournaments “no
advantage” or “sudden
death” is played, and at
deuce the next point
won decides the game.
In this instance, the
score the next point,
they win the game. If
they lose, it goes back to
deuce.
receivers can say which
side of the court they
want the server to serve
from.
Sets
Sets are a series of
games. A set is won by
the first person winning
6 games and who has 2
clear games over the
opponent (eg wins 6-4,
6-3,6-2,6-1 or 6-0).
If the score is 6-5, a
further game is played.
If the score then
becomes 7-5, the set is
won. If it becomes 6-6 a
“tie break” is played (see
below). In some
tournaments in the final
set there is no tie break
and play continues until
one player has a 2 clear
game margin over their
opponent.
The tournament officials
may decide to play sets
of just 3 or 4 games, and
may not apply the “2
clear games” margin (so
a set could be won 4-3)
or apply a tie break. The
rules will always be
explained before the
game.
Tie break
Usually played first to
seven points, but to be
won by 2 clear points.
Usually the same, but
sometimes just played
first to 7 points. In some
tournaments, matches
can be decided by just
playing a tie break to a
specified number of
points (eg 10).
Changing ends
In formal matches,
No difference
players change ends
after the first game, and
then after every second
game thereafter. On a
tie break, players
change ends when the
first player has 5 points.
Standing to receive
serve
In singles, the receiver
swaps sides after each
point to face the server
No difference
who swaps sides.
In doubles, the serving
side change side for
each point, but the
receiving side stay on
the same side so the
players alternately
receive the service.
Strict tournament rules
specify that the sides
picked by the receivers
must be consistent
throughout each set.
Who serves first?
Usually the player who No difference
wins a coin toss decides
who will serve first, and
the other player decides
what end to stand from.
Service thereafter
No difference
The service alternates
with each game. For
doubles, each player will
take a turn to serve
when it is their turn to
serve.
In a tie break, service
changes after the first
point, and after every 2
points thereafter, so in a
tie break of A&B versus
C&D
1st point A serves
2nd and 3rd point C
serves
4th & 5th point B serves
6th and 7th point D serves
etc
Equipment
Racquets
Usually long handled
Short tennis racquets –
allowed length now
increased to 25 inches
Balls
Tennis balls
Sponge balls that make
a sound when they
bounce
Playing area
Tennis court
Under review: STS
currently practice on
badminton courts (see
diagram above for
playing area) with a
lowered net. Can be
played on a tennis court
using just the service
boxes. New rules are
for “orange courts” which
is a usual tennis court
but a reduced baseline,
and may have a lower
net.
Terminology
Term
Description
Bounces allowed
B1 players
“Totally, or almost totally 3 bounces
blind” - in tournaments
players are required to
wear a blindfold.
B2 players
Measures the clarity of
vision and the range of
peripheral (side) vision
2 bounces
B3 players
Measures the clarity of
vision
2 bounces
B4 players
A relatively minor vision
impairment.
1 bounce
Holding the racquet
(all examples are for right handers – these just reverse the for left handers)
There are lots of different holds, and each player will find for themselves the
hold that gives most control.
Basic Grip:
The grip depends on the type of shot to
play. There are two basic types to
choose from for both the backhand and
the forehand.
You will know you have it right when your
racquet comes to feel as a natural
extension of your arm.
Forehand Grip:
Known as the eastern grip, or shake-hands grip
because as you take hold of the racquet it should
feel as if you are shaking hands with another
person. Curl your fingers around the grip near the
base so your thumb and forefinger form a 'V' along
the top right edge of the handle. This grip places
the palm of the hand directly behind the handle.
As you stroke the racquet through on the forehand
side, it should feel almost as if your hand is hitting the ball.
Advanced Forehand Grip
This is used by most of the professionals
because it is the best way to add top
spin. Your thumb and forefinger form a
'V' pointing into the side of the handle.
An easy way to find this grip is to simply
put your racket on the floor and to pick it
up by the grip. It will feel awkward at first
but once mastered, it will allow you to
return high bouncing balls with more
power.
One hand backhand grip
Place the palm of your hand on top of the
handle then move the racquet inwards a
quarter turn. The thumb should fall
diagonally across the back of the grip,
though some players wrap it all the way
round. The inside of the thumb should
touch the flat part of the handle. An easy
way to find this grip is to put the racquet
under your left arm with the handle sticking out forwards. Grab hold of the
grip and pull the racquet out. You should then have the correct grip for a onehanded topspin backhand.
Two hand backhand grip
This grip gives more strength and control
than a one-handed grip. It is also easier
to hit top spin. However, it gives less
reach and you need more time to
prepare than with a single-handed shot.
So you also need the server grip to play
a sliced backhand. The simplest way to
form the double-handed grip is to hold
the racquet with with your favoured hand
in the shake-hands forehand grip, then
add the other hand with another forehand grip. Once you have mastered
that, start to nudge your right hand more onto the top of the grip. This will
allow you to hit with more power and spin. Your hands should be bunched up
against each other, but not overlapping.
Server Grip
The grip for the serve and sliced
backhand. It is known as the chopper
grip, because it is the way you would hold
an axe. It allows you to swing the racquet
head faster when serving, which is how to
generate power and spin. To find the grip,
hold the racquet as if you were using the
edge of the frame as an axe, that should
be the correct grip. The V of your thumb
and forefinger should be just to the left of
the top of the grip.
Exercises
Warm up exercises for everyone:
knees bent, twisting body left and right
knees bent, shuffle left and right
moving forwards and backwards towards the net (B1 players guided)
Practice exercises for B1 players:
B1 players stand in a ring and throw the ball between them (bounce and
catch). Probably particularly good for younger players.
B1 player drops the ball by their side from head height and then hits it on the
third bounce.
“Feeding the ball” - throw the ball to the B1 player so by the 3rd bounce it is
just to the left or right of the B1 player who hits it. You can try throwing to the
left 10 times, right 10 times.
The above played with the net between you (use the racquet rather than
throwing the ball). Both player stand mid court on respective sides of the net.
Practice serves – feedback to the B1 player where their ball is landing. The
sighted player plays the return to try to keep the ball in play.
Bouncing the ball off the wall – sighted and B1 player standing alongside
each other facing a wall. They bounce the ball against the wall. You can use
the racquet to touch and control the ball before playing it against the wall.
The next to hit the ball off the wall depends on the direction of the bounce: the
sighted player needs to say “mine” and “yours” (with guidance when it is
going to the left/right of the B1 player). This is quite motivating because if the
sighted player can play balls missed by the B1 player it can be good exercise
and practice for both players and the rallies can be quite long.
Doubles games played with a sighted partner who calls “mine”, or guides by
calling their B1 partner to where to strike the ball.
Practice sessions for VI players
3 players on either side – one at the front and two at the back (can be 2 and 2
on a tennis court). The player at the back serves and play continues. After
each point, the players on both sides rotate position clockwise. This allows 6
people to practice on a single court.
In pairs across a net play the ball from one to the other trying to keep the rally
going. Each player can have several shots their side of the net before
returning it – this helps touch and control.
Can mix up the above saying that each side of the net, they must play the ball
with the forehand and the backhand (or vice versa) before it is returned.
In the above exercises, 2 pairs can share a court using half each (left
half/right half) and can mix up exercises by pairs standing diagonal to each
other so the ball crosses.
Practice serving – can use a target such as a rucksack (receiving player must
stand by it to call “Yes” to “Ready?”)
Rallies that focus backhand.
Rallies that focus forehand.
Skills practice:
Spins
Topspin
backspin
sidespins
Tactics