Platform tennis is quite popular especially in the northeaster regions of the US. There are also paddle tennis enthusiasts from the Midwest down to the west coast, even reaching to Puerto Rico & Europe. These people prefer the all-year-round paddle tennis or beach tennis. The next paragraphs will discuss the difference between the three sports just mentioned.
Platform tennis started circa 1930 by two men looking for a way to play tennis during the winter months. Court is raised from the ground and heated during the winter months and is fenced in by screens. While playing, the ball can be played off the walls. Unlike tennis which can be played in singles, this game is always played in doubles and the winners are the pair who plays the best of three sets. The right to serve goes to the other team when the serving player is at fault.
The court measures forty-four feet long by twenty feet wide with the same line lay out as the lawn tennis court. Height of the net is thirty-four inches. Fences are twelve feet high and made of galvanized iron. Paddles are eighteen inches and made of titanium or graphite with holes cut in the face and no strings. Balls used are the same as those in lawn tennis, rubber core with flocking (fuzzy hair). Running shoes and cross trainers are contra indicated for this court, tennis shoes are recommended.
Paddle tennis started as a game for children in 1898. In the year 1959, a man named M. Geller formulated some rules and standards for the game. It can be played in singles or in doubles, & the best of 3 still wins. The scoring for lawn tennis is also followed but the serve is done underhandedly and only once is allowable.
The paddle tennis court measures fifty feet by twenty feet wide with no lanes for doubles. The net is at thirty-one inches. Racket used is the same as that of platform tennis. The ball being used here is a tennis ball with a puncture to deaden it. Suggested shoes are the same as in platform tennis.
Beach tennis is a mix between tennis and beach volleyball. It can be played as tournaments or just for fun. This is played in a beach volleyball court, net, and all. The ball is volleyed back & forth between the teams but, like badminton, not allowed to bounce on the court. The size of the court and height of the net is the same as a volleyball court. The paddles & balls are the same as those in paddle tennis. Scoring is the same as lawn tennis. Last of all, no shoes are required.
Platform tennis is a variant of the regular tennis game which can be enjoyed the whole year round regardless of the weather, well except during storms. This sport is played during winter months on a dais, raised from the ground leaving room for heating elements that melt the ice from the surface at the same time giving warmth to the players. Twelve-foot screens surround the court making them part of the game play. The following paragraphs discuss the dos and don'ts on playing the game.
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