Soft touch: most of the rules of soft tennis are the same as for normal tennis
Most of the rules for soft tennis are the same as those for regular tennis. They were last revised in 1992.
Play starts with a serve which can be underhand or overhead. Other standard shots include forehand and backhand ground strokes, the overhead smash and the volley.
The first player or pair to reach four points wins, with a deuce system coming into operation when players are tied on three points apiece - exactly like tennis, although the terminology has been simplified. Unlike regular tennis, serve changes after two points in each game.
Soft tennis is played both indoors and outdoors, with surfaces including clay and sanded artificial grass outdoors and wood indoors. There are strict rules regulating the conduct of players: for example, players must not "excessively yell out or make noises that cause discomfort to their opponents".
Matches are played to the best of seven or nine games for singles and doubles respectively, with the first player to reach four points the winner of each game. When players are tied at three games all in singles or at four games all in doubles, a tie break is played. The winner of the tie break is also the winner of the match.
