GUIDES · BETSLIP DOCTOR
Can a tennis return go around a net post or be played back from across the net?
Yes, some unusual paths can still be good returns under Rule 25 of the ITF 2026 English Rules. A ball may travel outside a net post above or below net height and land in the correct court, or pass through the narrow gap between a singles stick and the adjacent post without touching the net parts. Reaching over is allowed only after the ball first bounces in the correct court and spins or is blown back; it does not allow a player to hit an incoming ball before it passes the net.
For Tennis viewers checking why a return need not travel above the middle of the net · Updated
The route still has to meet the return rules
Rule 25 allows a ball to be returned outside the net posts, above or below the net’s top, if it lands in the correct court and the other rules are satisfied. It also describes a narrow route under the net cord between a singles stick and the adjacent net post; the ball must avoid touching the net, cord and post before landing in the correct court.
The words “outside the post” do not create a blanket exception for every court setup. In a singles match using a doubles net and singles sticks, the outer net posts and the net beyond the singles sticks are permanent fixtures under Rule 2.
A reach-over return starts after a correct bounce
If the ball first bounces in the player’s correct court and then spin or wind sends it back across the net, Rule 25 permits the player to reach over and play it back, provided the player does not break Rule 24.
That is different from reaching across to hit an incoming ball before it has passed the net, which Rule 24 does not allow. A racket may follow through across the net after striking the ball on the player’s own side, if the return lands correctly.
Singles and doubles fixtures can change the result
The same path can be treated differently depending on where the singles sticks and doubles posts sit. Rule 25’s around-post permission is subject to the permanent-fixture limits in Rules 2 and 24(d).
This page explains the ITF 2026 English text only. The edition does not prove a named event adopted a particular setup or approved alternative; use that competition’s regulations for a real match.
Rule 25 Case 1 also separates a rally return from a serve: a rally ball that touches a singles stick and then lands correctly can be a good return, while a serve that touches the singles stick is a service fault.
A low return and a separate spin-back ball
In a fictional singles rally using singles sticks, a wide return passes outside the net post below the net’s top and lands in the opponent’s correct court; assume it touches no prohibited fixture. In a separate fictional point, the ball first bounces inside the hitter’s correct court, then wind blows it back over the net; the player reaches over and returns it without touching the net or opponent’s court. Reaching across before an incoming ball has passed the net would be a different play. In a singles match using a doubles net, the outer posts and net beyond the singles sticks remain permanent fixtures.
Related questions
Can the ball pass under the net anywhere?
No. Rule 25 describes a narrow gap between a singles stick and adjacent net post. The ball must not touch the net, cord or post and must land in the correct court.
Can I reach over to volley an incoming ball?
Not before the ball has passed the net. The reach-over exception applies after the ball has first bounced in the player’s correct court and spin or wind sends it back.