The Original Racquet Sport

Rules

Court tennis combines the athleticism of tennis, the strategy of chess and the subtlety and variety of golf. It is a sport that challenges the mind and body in equal measure. The game is played with wooden racquets and hand-sewn balls of felt over cork and the basic stroke is a slicing shot, where skilled players are able to put a variety of spins on serves and strokes. As a result of these subtle nuances, the challenge of striking the ball cleanly in court tennis is far greater than in tennis or squash.

The objective of the game, as with lawn tennis (descendant of Court Tennis), is to win a "set" of six games. Scoring is a 15-30-40-game. Any shot that is struck that fails to clear the net or which goes out of court (green line and above) results in a lost point. Descriptions of some "Rules of the Game" are outlined below:

Service End Unlike tennis, the ball is always served from the same side, called the "service end." Although it is possible to win points and games from either end, the service end provides a tremendous advantage to a player.

Over the centuries more than 50 different serves have been invented, each of which may be useful against different opponents or at different points in the game. The Serving Player defends the large gallery at the back, called the "dedans," which when struck wins the point immediately. Requirements for the serve include:

• The server is positioned from behind the second gallery line,
• The ball touches the receiver's side of the penthouse at least once; and,
• The ball lands in either of the first two boxes drawn on the floor.

Receiving End The receiving side is known as the "hazard end" due to the dangerous targets the serving player has available to hit including:

• The "grille" and "winning gallery", both instant point winners when struck, and
• The "tambour," the angled section of wall redirects the ball unpredictably.

Chases Unlike Lawn Tennis, the chase is a fundamental element to the game of Court Tennis that has many strategic consequences. The creation of a chase enables the player on the "hazard end" to switch to the strategically preferable "service end." If there is one chase and game point or if there are two chases, a change in end occurs.

• A chase is created if the ball bounces twice landing anywhere in the areas marked with stripes.
• No points are immediately given for a chase. The position of the bounce is noted and announced.
• Chases are resolved in order of creation immediately after the players change ends. Once resolved, each "chase" disappears.

Scoring Both ends can affect the score as a result of the following:

• The server wins a point when the ball bounces a second time beyond the service line on the receiver's end.
• The receiver wins a point when the ball is hit over the net and the second bounce lands between a chase (created from a previous point) and the dedans wall.
• Either player can win a point when the opponent fails to keep the ball in play.