Tennis Rules: Net Post

Although most of the rules and regulations in tennis are fairly clear cut and self explanatory, dealing with the net posts can be a bit tricky, particularly since coming in contact with the posts is extremely rare. Since most players aim to hit the ball over the lower center part of the net, most players avoid hitting the post simply by default. When the ball does come in contact with either of the posts, however, there are rules to follow.

  1. Hitting the Post

    • The post is technically part of the net.

      On the rare occasion that a ball does make contact with the post, the post is treated as a part of the net. This would mean that, as when you make contact with the net, if the ball hits the post and goes over the net, it is still technically in play for your opponent to retrieve. Likewise, if the ball hits the post and fails to go over the net, then it is considered a dead ball, and the player who struck the ball loses the point.

    Hitting Around the Post

    • Particularly when playing doubles, it often happens that a ball can be hit around the net post if a player needs to. Although this is difficult to actually do (since it would require spinning the ball enough to curve around the post), it is still technically legal. This sort of play, of course, is more common when playing doubles, since the doubles alley extends closer to the net post than the singles lines.

    Net and Net Post Tension

    • Surface types change the way that net posts hold tension.

      The regulation tensions at which tennis nets are strung vary with each court and court type, largely due to the regulation of the net posts. The tension is relevant to the game, as many know, because the lower the net tension is, the easier it is to get the ball over the net after making contact with it. On hard cement courts, the net tensions are usually higher because the net posts are cemented into the ground, and are capable of holding high amounts of tension. However, on grass and clay courts, the nets are notoriously loose, since the grass and clay construction of the surfaces don't give the posts much foundation, and are thus not capable of holding a lot of tension.