# Watching tennis on TV the nets seem to droop in the middle **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [August 21, 2010, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-tennis-on-tv-the-nets-seem-to-droop-in-the-middle/550948 "2010-08-21T03:51:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2010, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-tennis-on-tv-the-nets-seem-to-droop-in-the-middle/550948/1 "2010-08-21T03:51:20Z")
is it supposed to be lower in the middle or is it magic of TV camera angles ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2010, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-tennis-on-tv-the-nets-seem-to-droop-in-the-middle/550948/2 "2010-08-21T03:57:23Z")
Tell “your friend” to learn to take 5 seconds to look it up. [Tennis rules](http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0113430.html#axzz0xD2iKFGI) [It’s 6 inches higher at the ends.](3 feet in center, gradually rising to reach 3-foot 6-inch posts at a point 3 feet outside each side of court. Read more: Standard Measurements in Sports — [Infoplease.com](http://Infoplease.com) [Standard Measurements in Sports](http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0113430.html#ixzz0xD2w8pim)) ---
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2010, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-tennis-on-tv-the-nets-seem-to-droop-in-the-middle/550948/3 "2010-08-21T04:02:57Z")
Tell your friend to answer questions without being mean about it ): ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2010, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-tennis-on-tv-the-nets-seem-to-droop-in-the-middle/550948/4 "2010-08-21T04:07:42Z")
> [@PSXer](#): > > Tell your friend to answer questions without being mean about it ): OK. :sigh: ---
**Author:** ![Al\_Bundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@Al\_Bundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al_Bundy)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2010, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-tennis-on-tv-the-nets-seem-to-droop-in-the-middle/550948/5 "2010-08-21T21:06:31Z")
Of course nets are made that way by design. Simple physics dictates it to some degree. You can’ pull a net perfectly level if you tried. Kids often bend those cemented in posts trying to tension a net more level. Look at all the power lines around you too. They all sag greatly in the middle between the poles. Some of this is to allow for expansion, but more because the lines hang easier with the sag. I once tried that with my belt too and it was very embarrassing. ---
**Author:** ![ericwoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/71e660/32.png) [@ericwoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ericwoo)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2010, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-tennis-on-tv-the-nets-seem-to-droop-in-the-middle/550948/6 "2010-08-23T14:48:51Z")
The middle of the net will always dip a little bit since the weight will bow it. But most likely the camera angle made it pop out in appearance to make it more noticeable. So its a little of both. -Eric from [Midwest Tennis Sports](http://www.midwestsports.com) ---
**Author:** ![capeo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@capeo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capeo)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2010, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-tennis-on-tv-the-nets-seem-to-droop-in-the-middle/550948/7 "2010-08-23T14:59:03Z")
The net is 3’ in the middle and 3’ 6" at the ends. The middle is held down by a strap. The tension between this strap and the posts keeps the net tight. It’s not droop. It’s an intentional way to deal with fact that middle of the net would have far to much give if it were just stretched across the posts and balls hitting the tape towards the middle would always just dribble over. ---
**Author:** ![ericwoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/71e660/32.png) [@ericwoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ericwoo)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2010, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-tennis-on-tv-the-nets-seem-to-droop-in-the-middle/550948/8 "2010-08-23T16:55:16Z")
> [@capeo](#): > > The net is 3’ in the middle and 3’ 6" at the ends. The middle is held down by a strap. The tension between this strap and the posts keeps the net tight. It’s not droop. It’s an intentional way to deal with fact that middle of the net would have far to much give if it were just stretched across the posts and balls hitting the tape towards the middle would always just dribble over. My bad, your right.