When playing tennis for fun, you can technically follow any rules you want, but you might not be abiding by the proper regulations of the game. For instance, it’s easy to wave away the use of singles sticks if you’re not clear with the way they affect gameplay. In fact, many tennis courts at homes or clubs don’t have singles sticks in place for non-tournament matches. What are singles sticks and how are they used is something all tennis players should know because even experienced players sometimes misinterpret this equipment’s effect.
The Basics
Singles sticks are 3 ft. 6 in. pieces of equipment that are useful for playing singles matches on doubles courts. In many ways, these sticks are the second set of net posts, matching their height exactly. If you want to follow the official regulations of the game, tennis court nets must always be 36 in. high in the center. Another key rule of tennis regards the height of the tennis net above the court’s singles sidelines, which should be 42 inches. Unfortunately, most tennis nets you encounter will lack that 42 in. height above the singles sidelines. Instead, many nets prioritize post placement closer to the doubles sidelines. Thankfully, singles sticks will fix that issue quickly.
A Deeper Dive
In accordance with the rules of tennis, playing a singles match with a doubles net requires the use of singles sticks. Specifically, according to the latest edition of Friend at Court, which contains the rules and regulations of the sport, “If a doubles net is used, then the net shall be supported, at a height of 3 ½ feet (1.07 m), by two singles sticks, the centres of which shall be 3 feet (0.914 m) outside the singles court on each side.”
A majority of tennis tournaments require players to use a doubles court and, in such cases, you should always see singles sticks on the net. When singles sticks are necessary for a tournament, the Tournament Committee will (or should) provide the sticks themselves.
How They Change the Game
There are regulations regarding the diameters of singles sticks, but more importantly for players to understand is how these sticks change the game according to the official rules. For example, when singles sticks fall and hit the ground during a point, the players have to stop and replay the point entirely. Additionally, if a player serves the ball and hits a singles stick, the play is officially considered a fault, even if it lands in the correct court after striking the stick—this is only applicable to the initial serve, not for a return of serve.
As you can see, “What are singles sticks and how are they used?” is info worth learning if you want to follow tournament regulations during tennis matches. A vast majority of recreational tennis players use a doubles court without any singles sticks, which means playing on a doubles court with singles sticks will feel very different. Luckily, if you want to optimize a home or club court to meet tournament regulations, finding the right tennis court equipment such as singles sticks is much easier than you might expect.