I.3. BEACH TENNIS
This game began its career in Italy in the 70s, and became popular in countries with warm climate. Beach tennis has finally got the attention and support from the International Tennis Federation, and, as a result, the first world championship was organized in Rome in 2009, with Hungary among the contestants. The game soon became more and more popular. Hungarian teams attended further tournaments in Austria and the Czech Republic, and celebrated their first trophy in 2010. Hungarian beach tennis life is still in its early stages, its centre being in Budapest, but more and more cities in the country have been seeing it played on their waterfronts.
Beach tennis is played on beach volleyball sand courts with a net of 170 cm in height. The ball is somewhat softer but has the same size as the average tennis ball. Instead of stringed rackets beach tennis is played with paddles.
Beach tennis is played mainly by pairs. Because of the surface of the court. the ball must not touch the ground, so players have to be agile and move dynamically to keep the ball in the air.
Hungarian Tennis Federation has a domestic tournament series, where players can earn points for the national ranking, and international tournaments where players can earn international ranking points, as well.
(http://www.huntennis.hu/beachtennis/bevezeto_a_beachtennis-be)
Building the court and its fixtures in the video below: