Beach Tennis Competition Hits the Sand

Beach tennis, a sport that has been a staple in European countries and just recently found its way to the United States, will be featured in a tournament in Hermosa Beach this weekend.

More than 40 players signed up to compete in an intermediate division on Saturday and advanced division on Sunday at the courts along 14^th Street and The Strand, in the third West Coast Beach Tennis event this year.

The game is described as the "best of both worlds," as it combines elements of beach volleyball and traditional tennis into a fast-paced game on the sand. 

The game and the rules are very simple. There are two players on each team, using specialized paddles and depressurized tennis balls with 50 percent less air than a traditional tennis ball. One hit per team is all that is permitted, there is no second serve and no advantage scoring. A match consists of a single eight-game set. 

"The learning curve of beach tennis is about four times less than that of traditional tennis or beach volleyball," said Don Young, director of West Coast Beach Tennis and 15-year resident of Hermosa Beach.  ''People absolutely love the sport. It's got great energy and it's a lot of fun to play." 

Teams score one point each time their opponent lets the ball touch the sand or hits the ball outside of the lines. The court dimensions are the nearly identical to those of beach volleyball, 30-by-60 feet, and the net is set at a height of 5-feet, 10-inches. 

Hermosa Beach previously hosted West Coast Beach Tennis events on St. Patrick's Day and Memorial Day. The city is the only one in Southern California with beach tennis courts, and has been particularly accommodating to the new sport and the tournament.

"Hermosa Beach has been excellent," Young said. "They were kind enough to put in courts for us and we're very thankful."