About
About
Aim of the game
Using a racket, players must hit the ball over the net into their opponent's half of the court, scoring points if their rival does not manage to return it
Why should you watch this?
If you are a tennis fan, you will love this thrilling version of the sport and be amazed by the ability and agility of the players
Venues
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Bagel
A term used when a player loses a set 6-0 – to lose 6-0, 6-0 is a 'double bagel'
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Rally
A lengthy exchange of the ball over the net, this term is also used in other sports, such as volleyball and badminton
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Volley
A shot in which the player hits the ball back over the net before it bounces – it is usually played from near the net
Impress your friends
Service
A coin is tossed and the winner can choose if they want to serve or receive first, leaving their opponent to decide which end they start at. If the winner prefers to choose ends, their opponent decides whether to serve or receive first.
The first serve of each game is taken from the right-hand side of the court, with subsequent serves alternating sides. The ball must cross the court (right to left, or left to right) and bounce inside the opponent’s service box.
A player has two attempts to serve on each point: the first is usually faster, the second is generally more conservative – because a ‘double fault’ loses the point.
Wheelchair tennis rules are the same as for Olympic tennis, except for the ball can bounce twice before it is returned.
Scoring
Points
The first point is called 15, the second 30 and the third 40. The player who wins the next point wins the game, but it must be by a two-point margin. If the score is tied at 40-40, it is called ‘deuce’ and a player must win another point, called ‘advantage’, before they can win the game.
Games
The first player to reach six games – by a margin of at least two games – wins the set. If a set is tied at 5-5, one of the players must win 7-5.
Sets
Matches are contested in the best of three sets. The tie-break is used to decide a set that is tied at 6-6. The first player to reach seven points, by a margin of at least two points, wins the tie-break and set.
Equipment
The ball is made of rubber and covered by felt hairs, it weighs 56 to 59.4g and has a diameter of 6.5 to 7.3cm. After the two halves have been glued together, a nitrogen tablet is heated until it bursts inside, filling the ball with a gas that makes it bounce.
The frame of the racket is almost always made of carbon materials. Most top players use strings made of natural tripe – the intestines of cows or sheep. The maximum racket length is 73.7cm, maximum width is 31.7cm and average weight is 300g.
Players use sports wheelchairs with wheels adapted for better balance and mobility.
The net must be 1.07m high at the sides of the court, but at the centre of the court it is naturally slightly lower, at 0.914m.
Stats
Top Medalists
| Men | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
usa
David Wagner
|
3 | 2 | 1 | 6 | |
|
aus
David Hall
|
1 | 3 | 2 | 6 | |
|
gbr
Peter Norfolk
|
2 | 2 | 1 | 5 | |
| Women | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
ned
Esther Vergeer
|
7 | 1 | 0 | 8 | |
|
ned
Chantal Vadierendonck
|
3 | 1 | 1 | 5 | |
|
ned
Maaike Smit
|
3 | 0 | 1 | 4 | |
