A tennis net is one of the main essentials to have when you play a tennis game. But you can’t just put a tennis net in some random placement and height. It needs to be at a specific height to play tennis correctly.
So, what is the height of a tennis net?
The standard tennis net, as set by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) guidelines, should have a height of 42 inches (106.5 cm) at the posts and a height of 36 inches (91.5 cm) at the center.
The rest of this article discusses more in-depth about tennis net height, including the official rules, net height for children and the importance of net height towards tennis strategies. Keep reading if you are interested!
Table of Contents
Official Tennis Net Height Rules
A standardized net height needs to be followed throughout every official professional tournament. Even just a tiny net height difference can drastically impact the player’s performance.
All ATP and WTA major tournaments must follow the guidelines of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and the United States Tennis Association (USTA), which are two of the most highly referenced tennis rules and regulations resources.
The rules from the ITF and USTA state that the official tennis net height is 42 inches (106.5 cm) at the posts and 36 inches (91.5 cm) at the center.
| Measurement | Net Height (Posts) | Net Height (Center) |
| inches | 42’’ | 36’’ |
| feet | 3’ 6’’ | 3’ |
| m | 1.07 m | 0.91 m |
| cm | 106.7 cm | 91.4 cm |
In order to get the required net height, the ITF guideline also specifies the exact positioning of the net poles.
For singles, the net posts must be positioned 3 feet outside the singles court.
While for doubles, the net posts must be placed 3 feet outside the doubles court.
Singles vs. Doubles Tennis Net
Yes, singles and doubles have different tennis net dimensions. The difference is not the height but rather the length.
The tennis net for doubles is longer than singles. This is because the playing area is larger in doubles courts. See this illustration for details:
For singles court, the side sticks used to lift up the net (net posts) are placed 3 ft (0.914 m) outside the singles court on each side (see picture below).
For doubles court, the side sticks that are used to lift up the net (net posts) are placed 3 ft (0.914 m) outside the doubles court on each side (see picture below).
Due to this, the tennis net for doubles is longer than for singles. The net length for singles is 33 ft (10.06 m), while the net length for doubles is 42 ft (12.80 m).
So, does that mean that if we are playing singles, we have to specifically choose courts that have singles net?
Well, not exactly. Most tennis courts are designed to be used for both singles and doubles. It is not practical to keep switching the tennis net in accordance with the format of the match.
Most tennis courts and clubs usually use doubles net on every court. Singles matches can also be played on a doubles net because both have the same net height.
This way, every court can be used for both singles and doubles matches without having to adjust the net every time.
Now, a court with singles nets can only be played for singles matches. Due to the limited amount of usability (they can’t be used for doubles matches), they are more uncommon and only used for official tennis matches formats such as Grand Slams Singles.
Men vs. Women Tennis Net Height: Is The Net Lower In Women’s Tennis?
If you look at other sports, such as volleyball and beach tennis, the net height used for women is lower than for men. Many sports do this to differentiate genders because male athletes are genetically more athletic and taller than women.
However, this is not the case in tennis. Everything in the tennis court used for men’s and women’s tournaments is the same.
Tennis net height for men and women has the same standard height of 42 inches (106.5 cm) at the posts and a height of 36 inches (91.5 cm) at the center.
What Is The Tennis Net Height For Kids (Juniors)?
The USTA Junior Program (10 years old and under) has four divisions: red, orange, green, and yellow.
In the USTA program, kids who just started learning tennis do not immediately use the standard net height like for adults.
The red ball division is the starting point for kids ages 8 and under. The tennis court used for the red division is smaller than standard and has a net height of about 2 feet and 9 inches.
Once children pass the red division, they will go into the orange (middle stage division), where the standard tennis net height of 3 feet 6 inches is used from then on.
| Division | Net Height |
| Red (Starting Stage) | 2’9’’ / 33’’ / 0.84 m / 83.82 cm |
| Orange/Green/Yellow | 3’6’’ / 42’’ / 1.07 m / 106.7 cm |
Why Are Tennis Nets Lower In The Middle?
The reason why tennis nets are lower in the middle is primarily due to gravity.
The vertical posts used to hold the tennis net are only applied at the sides. Since there is no post holding the net in the center, the center strap naturally pulls the net down and sags the height in the middle.
In other words, the tension is different from the sides all the way across the court to the middle.
But some of you might be thinking: why not just put another post in the center to get the same height throughout the net?
The lower height in the center is actually desired in order to get more diverse tennis strategic plays. It is intended to be like that.
The lower net height allows balls to pass faster and sharper to the opposite court.
This means shots that pass through the middle and the sides have different speed, allowing for some strategic plays.
Tennis Net Height vs. Other Sports (Pickleball, Paddle Tennis, Beach Tennis, Badminton, Volleyball & Table Tennis)
How does tennis net compare with other net sports?
Some net sports, such as pickleball and paddle tennis, have similar net dimensions to tennis. But do they have the same net height?
Here, we compare the net height of tennis with other net sports, such as pickleball, paddle tennis, beach tennis, badminton, volleyball & table tennis:
| Sport | Net Height (Sides) | Net Height (Center) |
| Tennis | 3’6’’ / 42’’/ 1.07 m / 106.7 cm | 3’ / 36’’ / 0.91 m / 91.4 cm |
| Pickleball | 3’ / 36’’ / 0.91 m / 91.4 cm | 2’10’’ / 34’’ / 0.86 m / 86.4 cm |
| Paddle Tennis | 3’1’’ / 37’’ / 0.94 m / 94 cm | 2’10’’ / 34’’ / 0.86 m / 86.4 cm |
| Beach Tennis (Women) | 5’7’’ / 67’’ / 1.7 m / 170 cm | 5’7’’ / 67’’ / 1.7 m / 170 cm |
| Beach Tennis (Men) | 5’11’’ / 71’’ / 1.8 m / 180 cm | 5’11’’ / 71’’ / 1.8 m / 180 cm |
| Badminton | 5’09’’/ 61’’/ 1.55 m / 155 cm | 5’ / 60’’ / 1.52 m / 152.4 cm |
| Volleyball(Women) | 7’ 3’’ / 88’’ / 2.24 m / 224 cm | 7’ 3’’ / 88’’ / 2.24 m / 224 cm |
| Volleyball (Men) | 7’11’’ / 95’’ / 2.43 m / 243 cm | 7’11’’ / 95’’ / 2.43 m / 243 cm |
| Table Tennis | 6’’ / 15.25 cm | 6’’ / 15.25 cm |
Looking at the comparison table, no other net sports have as significant of a dip in the middle section of the net as tennis does.
Even though pickleball, paddle tennis, and badminton also have a lower center net height than their sides, the drop is not as much as a tennis net.
Standard vs. Wheelchair Tennis Net Height
Standard tennis and wheelchair tennis both have the same net height of 42 inches (106.5 cm) at the posts and a height of 36 inches (91.5 cm) at the center.
And not just the net height, even the size of the court and rackets are the same as well.
The only difference between standard tennis and wheelchair tennis is that the ball can bounce twice within the court for wheelchair tennis.
How to Measure the Height of a Tennis Net?
Consistent tennis net measuring is vital to ensure the height remains the same throughout time.
With time and weather, such as wind or rain, the straps can loosen up over time, resulting in an unbalanced net. This is especially true for outdoor courts.
Measuring a height of the net is pretty straightforward. All you need to do is measure the height at the center of the net where the white vertical center strap is located.
To do this, you can use a tennis net height checker, a tool specifically designed to measure tennis net height. Or you can use more simple tools such as a measuring tape or a ruler.
Since the height in the center needs to be 3 feet. Make sure to bring a measurement that can measure a minimum of 3 feet.
How to Adjust the Tennis Net Height?
If you notice that a tennis net is not in standard height, you can adjust it pretty easily.
From the center, where the vertical white straps are, pull it below or above the metal buckle.
To lower the net’s height, you should pull the strap to be tighter.
Feed the strap to the buckle to increase the height until it reaches the desired height.
Here is a video showing you how to do it in detail:
The Importance of Net Height on Tennis Strategy
Due to the tennis net being lower in the middle than the sides, it can create a more interesting dynamic towards strategy.
For example, a cross-court shot towards the middle means the ball has more chance of passing the net and hitting the ground faster.
Since aiming for the lower net height is safer, players can be more aggressive and make riskier plays when hitting down the middle area.
The sharper and lower shot makes it more difficult for the opponent to return the ball if executed properly.
In contrast, performing parallel shots towards the side of the net is more risky due to the higher net height.
So, players usually play safer by hitting the tennis ball higher and spend more time to reach the ground, resulting in more time for the opponent to react.
But this does not mean parallel shots are worse than cross-court shots. With parallel shots, the opponent will have to cover more ground and stamina to reach the ball.
The same strategy can be implemented for serves as well.
Hitting the serve towards the middle or the T line typically result in faster serves due to the lower net height.
A serve to the courtside is slower and riskier due to higher net height, but it does not mean that hitting the courtside is less effective.
When the player receiving the serve hits the ball on one side, the opposite side will be open for a parallel shot to finish the point.
Learning strategies can make you play tennis better and increase your rating.
Wrapping Up
Tennis net height must be the same as what is listed officially by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) guidelines. All major and minor tournaments have to follow this standard rule of 42 inches (106.5 cm) at the posts and a height of 36 inches (91.5 cm) at the center.
Knowing that tennis net height is lower in the middle than the sides is essential to diversify your tennis strategy. From this article, you have already learned the pros and cons of hitting the lower or higher net height.
If you are practicing tennis at a public court, you can always measure and adjust the net height yourself to make sure that you are consistent in hitting the shots over the net.
In official tournaments or clubs, there will usually be staff and caretakers that will maintain the tennis net height to its required measurements.
Related Questions
How Many Inches High is a Tennis Net?
Following the International Tennis Federation (ITF) official guidelines, a tennis net measured in inches has a height of 42 inches at the posts and a height of 36 inches at the center. Junior (red division of children under 8) court has a lower than standard net height of 33 inches.
Can You Reach Over The Net in Tennis?
Yes, you can reach over the net in tennis as long as you don’t touch the net and the ball crosses over the net to your side of the court. It is a legal shot as long as these conditions are in place. If you touch the net or hit the ball when it was still on the opponent’s side of the court, it is considered a fault.
Can You Touch the Net in Tennis?
Tennis rules state that you can not touch the net in tennis. If you touch the net, whether it is with your racket or body, it is considered a fault, and you will automatically lose the point.
How High are The Nets at Wimbledon?
At Wimbledon and other international opens such as the US Open & Roland Garros, the tennis net height follows the official height listed in the International Tennis Federation (ITF) guidelines, which is 42 inches tall (106.5 cm) at the side posts and 36 inches tall (91.5 cm) at the center.
What is the Difference Between Tennis vs. Pickleball Net Height?
The height of the tennis net is taller than the pickleball net. The tennis net is 42 inches at the post and 36 inches at the center, while the pickleball net is 36 inches at the post and 35 inches at the center. A tennis net has a larger dip in the middle than a pickleball net.
