Net Height Comparisons

Nets are common in various sports, but each has unique regulations for what constitutes the correct net height. Even in junior tennis, the height of the net differs in the early stages of learning the game.
Let’s look at how height differs for some common racquet sports.
Junior Tennis
When kids are first learning how to play tennis, they’ll use a different net height than adults. The USTA refers to their children’s program for tennis as 10 and Under Tennis, which has four divisions or stages: red, orange, green, and yellow.
During the initial red division, intended for kids eight years or younger, children play tennis on a court that’s 36 feet in length and 18 feet in width. The net height at this stage should measure two feet nine inches tall.
However, once children progress to the orange stage, they begin using the standard net height, that’s three feet six inches at the side and three feet at the center or middle of the net. Here’s a table outlining the various stages and the appropriate net heights for junior tennis.
Division | Net Height |
Red | 2′ 9″ |
Orange | 3′ 6″ at net posts / 3′ center |
Green | 3′ 6″ at net posts / 3′ center |
Yellow | 3′ 6″ at net posts / 3′ center |
Pickleball
In the past few years, pickleball has exploded in popularity. If you’re transitioning from tennis to pickleball or vice versa, you might wonder how the net height differs. Here’s how they stack up.
Sport | Sides | Center |
Tennis | 3′ 6″ / 42″ / 106.7cm | 3′ / 36″ / 91.4 cm |
Pickleball | 3′ / 36″ / 91.4cm | 2′ 10″ / 34″ / 86.4 cm |
The above pickleball net heights coincide with the official measurements provided by the USA Pickleball Association (USAPA).
The sides of a tennis net are six inches higher than a pickleball net, while the center is only two inches higher.
Pickleball nets are a bit shorter than tennis nets to accommodate for the smaller court size, but they’re not too far off in terms of height.
Paddle
Otherwise known as platform tennis, paddle tennis is a close cousin to pickleball, but it’s been around for longer, and unique rules and regulations apply to both.
As far as the net for paddle tennis, it’s also different than tennis. Here’s a quick comparison of the net heights for the two.
Sport | Sides | Center |
Tennis | 3′ 6″ / 42″ / 106.7cm | 3′ / 36″ / 91.4 cm |
Paddle | 3′ 1″ / 37″ / 94cm | 2′ 10″ / 34″ / 86.4 cm |
The above paddle measurements for net height are consistent with what you’ll find in the American Platform Tennis Association’s (APTA) rulebook.
When comparing, a tennis net is five inches taller at the sides and two inches higher at the center.
Beach Tennis
Another up-and-coming sport is beach tennis, which has many similarities to tennis. However, one area where they differ significantly is net height, which is considerably higher for beach tennis.
Furthermore, the net height varies for men and women. Here’s how the two sports compare.
Sport | Sides | Center |
Tennis | 3′ 6″ / 42″ / 1.07m / 106.7cm | 3′ / 36″ / 0.91m / 91.4 cm |
Beach Tennis (Men) | 5′ 11″ / 71″ / 1.8m / 180cm) | 5′ 11″ / 71 / 1.8m / 180cm |
Beach Tennis (Women) | 5′ 7″ / 67″ / 1.7m / 170cm) | 5′ 7″ / 67″ / 1.7m / 170cm |
It’s worth noting that the official heights for beach tennis nets are expressed in meters, i.e., 1.8m and 1.7m for exactness. In the above table, I’ve rounded for feet and inch measurements.
Also, as you can see from the above measurements, beach tennis nets are the same height in the middle as they are on the sides.
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