In 1976 it then was played for the first time, with the rules as we know them today, in Torredembarra, Spain. Also in Torredembarra was played the first championship in 1978. Since then (with few interruptions) it takes place on the same beach every year. Over the years, the sport spread to the beaches along the coast of Italy, and it is estimated that today there are more than 1,600 beach tennis nets along the coast of Italy, and that number does not include the constantly growing number of inland and indoor courts. An estimated 250,000 Italian beach tennis players have made the sport so popular that the infrastructure for tournaments has taken on incredible proportions, check out some of these exotic destinations where beach tennis courts are being set up.