Short Court Tennis, also known as Quickstart tennis according to the U.S. Tennis Association, provides kids ages 10 and younger with an easier introduction to the sport of tennis. Quickstart tennis splits children into an 8-and-under category and a 10-and-under category with different rules designed to meet the needs of the children within each age group.
Court Size
For most children, a regular tennis court provides too much space for a child to realize success while playing. In order to focus more on form and game play, Quickstart tennis compresses the court size so kids can compete successfully. The 8-and-under level learns to play on a court 36 feet long by 18 feet wide. Four of these courts fit across the width of a regulation tennis court, or if you're playing inside, four courts generally fit within a regulation basketball court. Set up temporary nets at 2 feet, 9 inches and mark lines with tape. The 10-and-under group, generally taller and stronger than the younger level, graduates to an intermediate-sized court. For singles tennis, the intermediate court measures 21 feet wide by 60 feet long. Use a regulation tennis court, but mark lines 9 feet within the court on each side to account for the shortened length. This age group can use the regulation-height tennis net. Played inside, two intermediate tennis courts fit within a regulation basketball court.
Equipment
Children learning to play basketball or volleyball often use smaller balls and shorter nets to properly learn the game. Tennis should be treated the same way. A child-sized body should learn sports using child-sized equipment. The regulation tennis ball moves too quickly and bounces too high for most children to successfully react and respond. Also, a child may find a regulation tennis racket too heavy and cumbersome to hold and swing. The 8-and-under age group uses a lightweight foam ball or very low compression ball that moves slowly and bounces low. Children can react to the movement and respond appropriately. The 10-and-under age group graduates to a low-compression ball that moves a little faster and bounces slightly higher than the younger age group's ball. To account for the size of the child, rackets for Quickstart tennis range from 19 inches to 25 inches. The 10-and-under group must use the 23- or 25-inch variety.
Scoring
Short court tennis strives to keep games short and sweet, catering to a child's stamina and attention span. The 8-and-under age group's games generally last no longer than 20 minutes based on the scoring rules. Children in this age group only play a maximum of three games; the first child to score seven points wins the game. The first child to win two games wins the match. The older group graduates to slightly more advanced scoring. The first player to win four games wins the set. Play a total of three sets, with the last set only played to seven points. The first player to score seven wins the final set.
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