Alright, so the other day I was down at the courts and got into a little debate with my buddy about how high the tennis net actually is. I mean, we both play a decent amount, but neither of us had ever really measured it or anything. So, like any normal person in the 21st century, I whipped out my phone to look it up, but I figured, why not just measure it myself and see?
Getting Started
First things first, I needed a tape measure. Luckily, I had one in my car’s glove box – don’t ask why, it just seemed like a good idea at the time. I headed over to the net and started by measuring from the ground up to the top of the net at the posts.
Measuring at the Posts
I hooked the end of the tape measure on the ground right at the base of the post and stretched it up. It read 42 inches, which is exactly 3.5 feet. It seemed a bit high, but who am I to argue with a tape measure? I made a note of that in my phone, just a simple “Posts: 42 inches” entry.
- Posts: 42 inches (3.5 feet)
Checking the Middle
Next up, I had to check the middle of the net. Now, this was a bit trickier because there’s that strap thingy that pulls the net down in the center. I did my best to measure straight down from the top of the net to the ground. This time, the tape measure showed 36 inches, or 3 feet even.
- Middle: 36 inches (3 feet)
Double-Checking My Work
To be honest, I was a bit surprised by the difference. I always thought the net was the same height all the way across. So, I measured a few more times, just to be sure. I even got my friend to hold the tape measure while I checked the numbers. Yep, still 42 inches at the posts and 36 in the middle.
What I Found Out
After I finished my little experiment, I did a bit more digging online just to confirm what I measured. Turns out, the official rules say the net should be 3.5 feet (42 inches) at the posts and 3 feet (36 inches) in the middle. I guess my measurements were spot on! It was a fun little project, and now I can say for sure that I know how high a tennis net is supposed to be. Plus, I’ve got a new random fact to throw around during our next match.
