A tennis court looks much wider when you’re chasing a shot than it does from the stands. The key measurement depends on whether you mean singles or doubles: a singles court is 27 feet wide, while a doubles court is 36 feet wide. Both are 78 feet long.
Official tennis court width
The full court, measured from one outside doubles sideline to the other, is 36 feet wide (10.97 metres). That’s the width used for doubles. For singles, the court is narrower: the distance between the singles sidelines is 27 feet (8.23 metres).
| Measurement | Feet | Metres |
|---|---|---|
| Doubles court width | 36 feet | 10.97 m |
| Singles court width | 27 feet | 8.23 m |
| Width of each doubles alley | 4.5 feet | 1.37 m |
| Court length | 78 feet | 23.77 m |
The 9-foot difference between singles and doubles comes from the two side strips called doubles alleys. Each alley is 4.5 feet wide. It is in play during doubles, but a singles shot landing in an alley is out.
Where the width is measured
The court’s width is measured side to side, between the outer doubles sidelines. The singles sidelines run parallel to them, 4.5 feet in from each side. Those inner lines define the width of the singles playing area.
The lines matter: a ball touching a boundary line is considered in. That means the edge of the line, rather than the space beside it, determines whether a shot is safe. When a player aims close to a sideline, even a small margin can decide the point.
It’s also useful to separate the playing court from the whole area needed to build or use a court. The marked doubles court covers 2,808 square feet; the singles area covers 2,106 square feet. Neither figure includes room beyond the baselines or outside the sidelines for players to move safely. Clubs and facility planners need extra clearance, and their requirements can vary.
Why singles and doubles use different widths
In singles, the narrower sidelines keep the court manageable for one player covering the full length and width. The doubles alleys add space for two players on each side, creating more room for wide serves, angled groundstrokes and volleys.
You can see the difference clearly in doubles tactics. A team at the net may try to pull an opponent wide into the alley, then leave a gap down the middle. In singles, players often use sharp cross-court angles to stretch an opponent, but a shot has to land inside the narrower singles lines to count. The available width shapes the risk: aim too close and the ball may miss, but leave it too central and the opponent has more time to respond.
The service boxes also use the court’s width in a different way. Each service court is 13.5 feet wide, running from the centre service line to a singles sideline. A serve must land in the diagonally opposite service box. The doubles alley is not part of that target, even when the point is being played as doubles.
How wide is a tennis court compared with familiar spaces?
A 36-foot doubles court is roughly as wide as a large two-lane road, though road widths vary. The 27-foot singles width is three-quarters of the full doubles width. The difference is easy to picture from the baseline: in doubles, players have an additional 4.5 feet of court on each side.
For a quick home or school comparison, 36 feet is about the length of a typical city bus, while 27 feet is closer to the length of a large moving truck. Those are only rough visual references, not substitutes for a tape measure, since vehicle sizes vary.
What about the net and the space around the court?
The net stretches across the full doubles width. It is 3 feet high at the centre and 3 feet 6 inches high at the posts. For singles play, the net is still in place across the court, though singles sticks are used to support it at the correct position when the net posts sit outside the singles sidelines.
On an actual court, the marked width is only part of the space players need. A wide serve or passing shot can send someone racing beyond the sideline, while a deep ball can push a player behind the baseline. That’s why courts have open areas around the marked lines. If you’re checking whether a space can fit a court, don’t plan around the 36-by-78-foot playing rectangle alone; allow for safe movement and check the relevant local or facility guidelines.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a tennis court 27 or 36 feet wide?
Both measurements are correct. The singles court is 27 feet wide between the singles sidelines. The full doubles court is 36 feet wide between the outside doubles sidelines.
How wide is a doubles alley?
Each doubles alley is 4.5 feet wide. There is one on each side of the singles court, making the full doubles court 9 feet wider overall.
Does the doubles alley count during a serve?
No. A serve must land in the diagonally opposite service box, which ends at the singles sideline. The alley is out for the serve, even in doubles. Once the serve is in and the rally begins, the alley is in play for doubles.
How much space do you need for a tennis court?
The marked doubles court measures 36 feet wide by 78 feet long, but players need clear space beyond its lines. The amount depends on the setting and applicable facility guidelines, so check those before planning a court.
Final Thoughts
The simplest answer is 36 feet wide for doubles and 27 feet wide for singles. The singles court sits inside the doubles court, with a 4.5-foot alley on either side. Knowing where those lines are helps make sense of calls, serves and shot choices—and explains why a ball that looks wide in singles may still be comfortably in during a doubles rally.
