Table Tennis Net

The point of table tennis is to hit the ball over a low net to the other side of the table. If your ball hits the net or fails to clear the net, your opponent wins a point.

The table tennis net is usually made of a dark-colored mesh, which is clearly visible against a white or an orange ball, although other colors of nets are also available (see, for instance, the Martin Kilpatrick Simple net set which is green, or the Kettler 7096 100 Variable Table Tennis Net Set which is white).

The first table you buy will come with a table tennis net, but if the table doesn’t outlive the net by several years, you’ve either got a very bad table or an incredible, almost magical, net.

What Are the Net Regulations For Tournament Play?

If you’re a tournament player or have any interest in becoming one, you should practice with a net that meets tournament guidelines. Luckily, the table tennis net guidelines are not stringent. In general, the net should be six inches high and must stretch across the center of the table with six additional inches of net to each side. The net is usually held in place by brackets.

Why Do Nets Need To Be Replaced?

Nets take a lot of abuse, especially if you are new at the game and hit the ball into the net a lot, or if you are an aggressive pro and some of your misplaced shots hit the net hard and fast. If your net is sagging and readjusting the tension in it does not clear up the problem, or if you net has holes in it, it is time to replace it.

You don’t want to go on playing with a net that is poor shape because you can get into some bad habits that way. For instance, if you know your net sags a little in the center, you may teach yourself to make your low shots go too low, and you’ll pay the price when you visit a friend or a community center with a fresh net.

What Does A Net Cost?

A table tennis net can run anywhere from a few dollars (great for casual play) to more than a hundred dollars (needed for nets that experience heavy use or are intended for tournament play). Be sure to take into account any personal preferences you have such as color or type of material preferred.

Where Can I Find A Table Tennis Net?

Table tennis nets are available from many discount and sporting stores. If you can‘t find a net you like in a brick-and-mortar business, head for the internet, where you will find sites that sell table tennis nets of all kinds. My personal favorite includes STAG International.

The table tennis net is a very important part of the ping pong game. As such, your net should always be up to speed, even if you just play for fun or exercise.