Choosing to play on artificial grass or with a wall is optional, the dimensions of the playing area are not. The proliferation of paddle tennis courts in clubs and public spaces has doubled in the last decade. However, thanks to the standardization of padel court measurements, wherever you choose to play, the proportions will always be the same.
Although you have sometimes blamed the state of the surface or the height of the net, the measurements collected by the International Padel Federation settle any controversy related to the dimensions of the track. 10x20 meters of competition, passion and effort.
Padel court measurements
The paddle tennis court includes the surface of concrete, cement, grass or any other material bounded by the wall and fence.
The rectangular playing area is divided by a net, located right in the center. In total, the rectangle measures 10 meters wide by 20 meters long with a tolerance of 0.5%. In these 200 square meters two lines divide the space:
- Lservice line: is the line that delimits the legal service zone and the one that the player can never exceed with his padel shoes during service. Parallel to the network, it will be 6.95 meters. The length of this service line is 10 meters, coinciding with the width of the court, hence it borders directly with the wall.
- Lcenter line of service: It is the line perpendicular to the network and the service line. With this line it is possible to achieve two symmetrical areas that indicate the couple's play areas.
The network of a paddle tennis court
The net is the central element of the court and has a length of 10 meters. The height of the network is slightly modified at its ends. While in the center the height is 0.88 meters with a variation margin of 0.005 meters, at the ends it can reach up to 0.92 meters with the same tolerance of ±5.
The net hangs from a tension device anchored to two posts. Both posts, fixed at the ends of the net, cannot hinder the playing area.
Height of the enclosures
The minimum height free of obstacles is 6 meters, although the Spanish Paddle Federation recommends that the minimum free height be less than 8 meters.
Likewise, in the enclosures there is a difference between two heights according to the material used. At the bottom of the track, the wall or glass reaches a height of 3 meters and its metal mesh extension a further meter. In total 3 meters high that surround the top of the entire track.
Access to the paddle tennis court
The FEP also records the dimensions of the runway accesses. In this case two situations can be differentiated. Either the access is a complete door without division or the entrance is divided at the height of the network.
In the case of having a single lateral access, the minimum free space is 1.05 x 2 meters. In the second case, with a division of the access, each free space must be at least 0.72 meters wide by 2 meters high.
Lighting system measurements
Its importance is such that artificial lighting allows matches to be extended beyond the hours of natural light. In addition, it is necessary in those places where indoor paddle tennis is practiced.
Regarding this section, the FEP sets the minimum height of the projectors at 6 meters. Likewise, the lighting columns must be located outside the court, avoiding security areas adjacent to the playing field.
