A ball in the net has one of two causes. It left the racket on too low a line, or it did not have enough speed to carry the distance. The six causes in this guide are different ways of reaching one of those two results, so confirm yours before you change anything.
How high is a tennis net, and why does it matter?
The Rules of Tennis from the ITF (now World Tennis) set the net at 0.914 m (3 feet) at the center and 1.07 m (3.5 feet) at the posts. Three things follow from those numbers.
- The net is higher near the sidelines. It rises by about 15 cm (6 inches) from center to post, so a shot down the line crosses a higher net than a shot through the middle. Give it more room.
- Low contact means you must hit up. If you take a ball below net height, which is roughly hip height on many adults, it has to rise just to clear the tape.
- Moving forward makes the climb steeper. From the baseline you are about 11.89 m (39 feet) from the net. From the service line you are 6.40 m (21 feet) away, so a low ball has much less distance in which to rise.
Read your miss before you change anything
Hit 20 rally balls at normal pace, or ask a partner to feed them. For each net miss, note where it hit the net and what kind of ball you were playing. The table is a starting point, and video will confirm it.
| Your pattern | Most likely cause | Check first |
|---|---|---|
| Hits the top of the net, near the tape | Low target | Aim higher for 10 balls and see if it stops |
| Hits the middle of the net | Flat swing or closed face | Racket path and face at contact |
| Hits the bottom, or bounces before the net | Closed face, or very late or low contact | The contact frame |
| Only on low balls | Dropping the racket head | Knee bend at contact |
| Only when you feel rushed | Late contact | Where the ball is against your hips |
| Only on balls at your body or out wide | Poor spacing | Arm position at contact |
Start with the target test, because it costs nothing. Aim about 1 metre (3 feet) above the net for 10 balls. If most of the net misses disappear, your target was the problem. If they do not, film your strokes.
The six causes, how to confirm them on video, and the fix
Film 10 to 20 balls from the side, level with your contact point, and pause on the frames around contact. The table gives the short version, and the notes below explain each cause.
| Cause | Confirm on video | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Late contact | The ball is level with or behind your hips at contact | Prepare earlier and check the ball against your hips on each clip |
| Flat swing | The racket head stays at ball height before contact and moves level through it | Let the racket head drop below the ball before the forward swing |
| Closed face | The top edge of the racket tilts well forward at contact, and the swing does not rise | Check your grip, then slow down and rise through the ball |
| Low target | Your good shots also pass just above the tape | Aim about 1 metre (3 feet) above the net |
| Racket head drops | On low balls, your legs are straight and the racket head hangs far below your hand | Bend your knees and lower your whole body |
| Poor spacing | Your elbow is jammed against your body, or your arm is fully stretched | Take small adjustment steps before you swing |
Late contact
With a semi-western or Western grip, the racket face is still closed until the racket reaches a point well in front of you. Contact any later than that sends the ball low. Late misses also tend to drift: a right-hander's late forehand goes right. If this is your pattern, start with why you are always late on the ball, because the problem usually begins before the swing.
Flat swing
A level swing adds no upward movement to the ball. If you hit at or below net height, the ball leaves on a line too low to clear the net unless your face is open. A 2013 review reports an upward swing path at impact of about 20 degrees above horizontal for flat strokes and about 40 degrees for topspin. Use those figures as a rough reference, because the authors note they were not tested across a wide range of conditions. The topspin guide shows how to build a rising path.
Closed face
A slightly closed face is normal on topspin. In a study of 13 NCAA Division I men, more spin went with a more closed face. The problem comes when a closed face meets a level swing, because nothing lifts the ball. If the face looks closed on every ball, check your grip first. A grip that has drifted toward Western closes the face on low and medium balls.
Low target
Aiming just over the tape feels aggressive, but a ball aimed there has almost no margin. Any small mistake in timing or height goes into the net. Topspin lets you aim higher and still land in, so raise your target before you change your swing.
Racket head drops
On a low ball, it is tempting to bend from the waist and reach down with your arm. The racket head then hangs below your hand, you lose control of the face and the ball often clips the net. Some drop is normal on very low balls, and coaches differ on how much is acceptable. The fix stays the same: bend your knees so your whole body goes down.
Poor spacing
Too close, and your arm has no room to swing forward and up. Too far, and you reach across your body with a weak, level swing. Either way you cannot lift the ball. Take small steps just before you hit, and use footwork drills to make those steps automatic.
A drill to raise your margin over the net
- Rally cross-court from the baseline, or take feeds, for 10 balls. Aim about 1 metre (3 feet) above the net. Tie a rope above the net if you have one, or ask your partner to judge the height.
- Score 1 point for each ball that clears that height and lands in, and 0 for any other ball. Write down how many went in the net.
- Repeat for three rounds. A suggested target is 7 points out of 10, with no more than one ball in the net per round.
- Move on to shots down the line, where the net is higher, and then to low balls fed below your knees.
- When you reach the target, lower your height a little and add pace. Compare your net count from week to week.
If a higher target makes your balls go long instead, you have found a spin problem. Keep the height and add upward racket speed.
For an extra check, upload a clip to TennisAI's stroke analysis. Its feedback covers swing path, contact point, timing, footwork and body position. It is an automated estimate and can be wrong. Its listing does not advertise ball tracking or shot placement, so keep counting your net misses by hand.
Frequently asked questions
Why do I keep hitting the ball into the net on my backhand?
The causes are the same as on the forehand, and late contact and a flat swing are the first two to check. Film 10 backhands from the side and pause at contact to see whether the ball is ahead of your front hip and the racket is rising.
How high is a tennis net?
Under the Rules of Tennis it is 0.914 m (3 feet) at the center and 1.07 m (3.5 feet) at the posts.
How far above the net should I aim?
A useful starting point for a rally ball is about 1 metre (3 feet) above the net. This is a coaching guideline, so lower it when you attack and raise it when you are under pressure.
Why do I hit the net when I try to hit harder?
A harder swing often travels more forward and less upward, so the ball leaves on a lower line. Keep the same height over the net and put the extra speed into the upward part of the swing.
Why do I hit low balls into the net?
You are hitting from below net height, so the ball has to rise. Bend your knees, start the racket below the ball and aim higher than feels natural.
See this in your own game
Upload a practice or match video to TennisAI and get feedback on your forehand, backhand and serve.
Sources
- ITF (now World Tennis): 2026 Rules of Tennis (net height and court measurements)
- Journal of Sports Science and Medicine: Mechanics and Learning Practices Associated with the Tennis Forehand (Reid, Elliott and Crespo, 2013)
- Journal of Sports Science and Medicine: Influence of Tennis Racquet Kinematics on Ball Topspin Angular Velocity and Accuracy (Kwon et al., 2017)
This article is general information about tennis training and does not replace a coach or medical advice. Stop and see a professional if something hurts. TennisAI is made by Pace, the publisher of this blog.
