A net divides the two halves of a tennis court.
The net stretches across the court’s full width, parallel to the baselines, separating the players’ ends. During a rally, each player must send the ball over it and into the opponent’s court. The net is supported by posts outside the playing lines and is slightly lower at its center because it is pulled down by a center strap.
Under standard tennis dimensions, the court is 78 feet long. It is 27 feet wide for singles and 36 feet wide for doubles, so the doubles court uses the extra strips called alleys. The net is 3 feet high at the posts and 3 feet high at the center under the modern stated measurement, with the center strap maintaining its height.
The other choices are court markings or areas, not the divider: the baseline bounds the back of the court, the sideline marks its side boundary, and the service box is the target area for a serve. A net touch can also affect play: a ball that touches the net during a rally may continue if it lands in, while a serve that clips the net and lands correctly is a let.