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USTC & TBA Guidelines for Tennis Court Construction Section 2.L. - Net and Net Post Equipment |
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| 1.0 | Post Foundations | |
| Post foundations should be not less than 18” in diameter at the top, not less than 30” at the bottom, and not less than 36” in depth, with side walls formed flat and square to each other. An extended concrete base at the bottom of the foundation, shaped like a foot pointing in the direction of the opposing net post, will increase the foundation's resistance to stress and strain of torque in the direction of force. Foundations should be so constructed as to provide a distance of 33’ on a singles court and 42’ on a doubles court, measured from center of post to center of post. Concrete for foundations should use well-graded rock, gravel or stone mixed in ratios attaining a compressive strength of not less than 3,500 lbs. per square inch at the 28th day after pouring. For asphalt courts, the top of the concrete foundation should be round to prevent radial cracking. | ||
| 2.0 | Net Posts and Sleeves | |
| Net posts may be galvanized steel or aluminum. They may be installed in sleeves or installed permanently in foundations. Tennis post ground sleeves may be steel, aluminum or PVC. Circular posts should have an outside diameter of not less than 2 7/8”, while square posts should not be less than 3” across. Minimum yield strength is 1,100 lbs., with a minimum of 1,500 lbs. tensile strength. Mechanical tensioning devices (worm gear, ratchet reel, or screw-type) are to be limited in the amount of force applied to the net post, not to exceed 1/2 post yield strength. Posts and post sleeves should be set 42’ apart for a doubles court, measured from the center of one post to the center of the other. For tournament use, it is recommended that a second set of net post sleeves be supplied 33’ (center to center) apart for singles play. Posts should be set plumb and true so as to support the net at a height of 42” above the court surface. | ||
| 3.0 | Center Strap Anchor | |
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The ground anchor should be made from a strong, non-corrosive metal pipe not less than 10” in length, 1 5/8” o.d. minimum. A non-corrosive 1/4” o.d. pin is centered through the pipe 1/4" to 3/8" below the opening for the purposes of attaching a center strap hook. A center strap anchor should be set in concrete footings measuring 12” x 12” x 12”. The base of the footing should be slightly larger (15” x 15”) to avoid the possibility of heaving due to freeze/thaw action. The top of a concrete footing set in an asphalt court should be round to minimize radical cracking. The cross pin in the ground anchor should be flush with the court and parallel to the net. |
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| 4.0 | Net | |
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A regulation doubles tennis net is 42’ (12.802m) long and 3’3” (991mm) high. A regulation singles net is the same height, but is only 33’ (10.058m) long. Since according to the rules of tennis, net posts are set 42’ (12.802m) apart for doubles and 33’ (10.058m) apart for singles, measured from center to center, this creates an obvious problem—how to install a 42’ (12.802m) or 33’ (10.058m) net, pulled taut with tension bars and cording, on the posts. To solve this problem, many net manufacturers actually offer nets slightly shorter than the regulation dimension (i.e. 41’ 9” [12.725m] for a doubles net). The net is composed of eight distinct parts referred to by various names. For the purpose of this Guideline, components are called the body, headband, cable, side bindings, bottom bindings, dowels, tie strings, and lacing twine. |
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| A. |
Body The net body should be weather resistant synthetic netting 1 3/4” square mesh and the tensile strength of the twine should not be less than 275 lbs. |
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| B. |
Headband (top binding) The headband should be made of two pieces or plies. The outer piece should be manufactured from a white synthetic material or white canvas, treated for resistance to sunlight and mildew. Inner and outer headbands should be folded over the cable and lock stitched with four separate rows of stitching the length of the net. |
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| C. |
Cable The cable should be fabricated from multi-stranded galvanized steel wire rope. It should have a minimum core diameter of 5/32” (excluding coating) and be 47’ in length. Its tensile strength should be not less than 2,600 lbs. The cable may be vinyl coated. |
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| D. |
Side Bindings (tapes) Side bindings should be fabricated of black synthetic material, treated to prevent deterioration from sunlight. Five nickel or brass grommets should be placed equidistantly from top to bottom at each side of the net to accommodate the lacing twine after forming a pocket to accept dowels. |
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| E. |
Bottom Bindings (tapes) Bottom bindings should be made of black abrasion-resistant synthetic material, treated to prevent deterioration from sunlight. |
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| F. | Dowels Dowels should be 3/8” - 5/8” round and a maximum of 40” in length and should be made of wood, metal or fiberglass. |
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| G. | Tie Strings Tie strings should be made from black u.v. stabilized, synthetic cord, not less than 60” long, and having a breaking strain of not less than 275 lbs. One piece is required for each end of the net headband. |
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| H. | Lacing Twine Lacing twine should be made from the same material as tie strings, but should be not less than 96” inches long. There should be one such piece for each side binding. |
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| 5.0 | Tautness and Center Height | |
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Check net tautness by suspending a 24 lb. (10.9kg) weight from the center of a singles net or a 14 lb. (6.36kg) weight from the center of a doubles net and wind the net slowly to a center height of 36” (914mm). Install the center strap and adjust it to maintain the height of 36” (914mm). Remove the weight. This method produces a net cable tautness of approximately 500 - 550 lbs. (227 - 250kg). When a weight is not available, net height is commonly adjusted by winding the net to a height of about 3’ 4” (1.016m) at the center and using the center strap to pull the net down to 36” (914mm). This method is not recommended, however, since it may result in significant tautness variations from court to court. For proper maintenance of court equipment and consistent ball response off the net, a net tensioning device is recommended. |
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| 6.0 | Center Strap | |
| A center strap is used to hold the net at the proper height of 36" at its center. A white strap 2” wide, made from canvas or synthetic material treated for resistance to sunlight and mildew, is used. A height adjusting non-corrosive buckle or buckles must prevent slippage when fully stressed. At the bottom of the strap, a non-corrosive spring loaded hook is used to attach the center strap to the ground anchor pin. | ||
| Drawings: | ||
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Tennis Net Post Footing Typical Tennis Net Elevations Typical Net Lacing Diagram Tennis Net Center Strap Anchor |
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| Note: Refer to Guidelines for: | ||
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2.A. 2.A. 2.B. |
General Conditions for Construction Tennis Court Orientation Tennis Court Dimensions and Related Measurements |
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NOTICE: These Construction Guidelines are for use by architects, engineers, contractors, tennis court and running track owners. Parties not experienced in tennis court or running track construction are advised to consult a qualified contractor, consultant and/or design professional. Experienced contractors, consultants and/or design professionals can be identified through the U. S. Tennis Court and Track Builders Association. Due to changing construction technology and techniques, only the most recent version of these Guidelines should be used. Variances in climate, soil conditions, topography and other factors may make these Guidelines unsuitable for certain projects. |
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