The Court
A modern racket court consists of a space enclosed by four walls at right angles to each other. The two side walls are 60 ft. in length, and the front and back walls 30 ft. Such is the accepted size, though many of the older courts show slight variations from this standard.
The front and side walls are usually about 30 ft. in height, the back wall about 15 ft. high. The space between the back wall and the roof is occupied by a gallery for spectators. In some courts there are also seats for spectators above the side walls, and where a court is being built in which important matches are likely to be played, such accommodation is advisable.
On the front wall are two lines parallel to the floor:- (1) The service line, which is a strip of paint, and is about 9 ft. 6 in. from the floor. (2) The play line, composed of a strip of board, whose upper edge is about 2 ft. 2 ins. from the floor.
VOL. IV 3 60 feet.
B A A A B 30 feet. 2 B GROUND PLAN OF A RACKET COURT. 1.-Front Wall. 2.-Back Wall. 3 & 4.-Side Walls.
A A.-Service Boxes.
B B.-Back-hand and Fore-hand Court.. 30 feet.
DIAGRAM OF FRONT WALL. 60 feet.
B A A A.-Play Board. B B.-Service or Cut Line. 4 boxes. The part of the floor between a line forming the hinder line of the two service boxes and the back wall is bisected by a further line. All these lines are painted on the floor and are about 3 ins. broad.
B In the finishing of the walls and floor of a racket court, great strides have been made in the last few years. The walls of older courts were asphalted and the floors sheeted with asphalt or laid on stone in one or two cases in marble. In the best modern courts both walls and floor are heated with special preparations, which prevents "sweating," and which ensures great smoothness, trueness, and in many cases extreme pace. In the best modern courts, the colour of the floor is generally black or red, the side walls a slate-blue black, and the front and back walls black and very polished. A few courts are entirely red in colour; the majority are without any red at all. The lines on the floor vary according to the colour of the floor, red or green being the most usual colour on a black floor, and black on a red floor.