Tennis net height: how high is a tennis net?

A tennis net is 3 feet (36 inches / 0.914 m) high at the center and 3 feet 6 inches (42 inches / 1.07 m) at the posts. That dip in the middle is deliberate, not sag from a loose net, and it shapes how the game is played. These heights are set by the ITF and apply to every regulation court, from Grand Slam venues to your local public park. Here are the exact numbers, why the net is lower in the center, the singles-sticks detail most players miss, and how to set it correctly.

The six-inch difference between the posts and the center is a built-in tactic. Because the net is lowest down the middle, a ball hit through the center clears more easily and safely, while a shot aimed at the corners has to clear a higher net over a longer diagonal. That tension, safe through the middle versus risky down the line, is one of the quiet strategic forces in every rally, and it has been part of the game since the net settled into its modern form in the 1880s.

On a full doubles court, the net posts sit 3 feet outside the doubles sidelines, which sets the 3 ft 6 in height at the edges of the wide court. When a singles match is played on that same court, the net would sag too low at the narrower singles sidelines. The fix is singles sticks: two thin posts placed 3 feet outside each singles sideline to prop the net back up to 3 ft 6 in where the singles court ends. Casual play often skips them; official singles matches use them.

Set the posts so the net is 3 ft 6 in at the edges, then use the center strap, the white band that anchors the middle of the net to the court, to pull the center down to exactly 3 feet. If the center looks high or low, adjust the strap, not the posts, and when in doubt, measure: it should read 36 inches at the center band.

Tennis sits in the middle of the racket-sport range. A pickleball net is slightly lower at 34 inches in the center (see pickleball vs tennis for the full comparison), while a badminton net is much higher at 5 feet. For everything else about the court, see how big is a tennis court, what every line means, and how surfaces affect play. Then find a court near you and a partner to play with.