Touching the net
A net-play rule that penalises a player for contacting the net during a rally in net-divided sports.
Overview
In volleyball, badminton and tennis the net separates the two sides and players are not allowed to touch it while the ball or shuttle is in play. Contact with the net during an action, or reaching over it illegally, is a fault that hands the point to the opposition.
The exact wording varies: volleyball penalises net contact that interferes with play, while tennis and badminton forbid touching the net at all during a point. The shared purpose is to keep the barrier neutral between the two sides.
Key points
- Players may not touch the net while the ball or shuttle is in play.
- Reaching across the net to play the ball is generally not allowed.
- The offence gives the point to the other side.
- The precise rule wording differs between volleyball, badminton and tennis.
Where it’s used
Sports that use touching the net:
Volleyball
A non-contact team sport of rallies, jumps and teamwork — indoors or on the beach.
Badminton
A fast indoor racquet sport played with a shuttlecock that rewards agility and touch.
Tennis
A singles or doubles racquet sport that blends agility, strategy and stamina on court.
Related rules
Out of bounds
The rule that a ball or player leaving the marked playing area is out of play and possession is decided at the boundary.
Tennis serving rules
The rules governing how a tennis point begins, including where the server stands and where the serve must land.
Foot fault
A serving fault called when the server's foot touches the baseline or court before striking the ball.
How it connects
The meaning-bearing relationships that place Touching the net in the wider knowledge graph — each one with the reason it exists.
Frequently learned together
Taught side by side in the same stage of a learning path.
- Tennis serving rulesBoth are taught in the “Get to know the game” stage of the Tennis learning path.
- Foot faultBoth are taught in the “Get to know the game” stage of the Tennis learning path.
- LetBoth are taught in the “Get to know the game” stage of the Tennis learning path.
- Tennis scoringBoth are taught in the “Get to know the game” stage of the Tennis learning path.
- Padel scoringBoth are taught in the “Get to know the game” stage of the Tennis learning path.
Explore across the knowledge base
Follow the threads that connect Touching the net to the rest of SocialSportHub.
Scoring systems
- Tennis scoringTennis is scored in points, games and sets, using the distinctive 15–30–40 point sequence and a win-by-two margin at every level.
- Padel scoringPadel borrows tennis scoring, counting points as 15–30–40 within games and playing sets to six games decided by a tiebreak.
- Badminton scoringBadminton uses rally scoring to 21 points per game, with matches decided over the best of three games.
- Volleyball scoringVolleyball uses rally scoring, in which a point is won on every rally, and matches are decided over a best-of-five sets.
Officiating
- UmpireA match official who rules on lines, serves and dismissals in racket, bat-and-ball and net sports such as tennis, cricket and baseball — and, in racket sports, also keeps the running score.
- Penalty SignalA standardized hand or flag signal an official uses to announce a foul, penalty, or restart so players, teammates, and spectators can read the call.
- Out-of-Bounds CallAn official's ruling that the ball or a player in possession has left the legal playing area, stopping play and handing a restart or possession to the opponent.
- Line JudgeA boundary-line official who calls whether the ball or player is in or out and flags foot faults, working under the head referee across many sports.
- Foul callA foul call is an official's ruling that a player broke a rule of contact or conduct, triggering a penalty such as a free kick, free throw or penalty.
Tactics
- Net playControlling the point from close to the net with volleys, smashes and touch shots to cut down an opponent’s time.
- Serve and volleyAn attacking tennis tactic where the server follows their serve to the net to finish the point with a volley.
- Serve-receive formationHow a volleyball team arranges its passers to receive the serve and set up a clean first attack.
- Baseline playA patient tennis style built around rallying from the back of the court and constructing points with groundstrokes.
- Doubles formationHow a pair positions itself on court — one up, one back, or both at the net — to control space in doubles.
Positions
- Middle blockerThe middle blocker plays in the centre of the net, leading the team’s blocking and attacking with fast, quick sets.
- Outside hitterThe outside hitter attacks from the left side of the net and is often a volleyball team’s main scoring option.
- OppositeThe opposite is a volleyball attacker who plays on the right side of the net, opposite the setter in the rotation, and is often a key scorer.
- Small forwardThe small forward is a versatile wing player in basketball who can score inside and outside while also defending multiple positions.
- LiberoThe libero is a defensive volleyball specialist who wears a contrasting shirt, plays only in the back row, and cannot attack the ball above the height of the net.
Learning paths
- Learn TennisA structured, educational learning path for tennis — from the rules to skills, techniques, tactics and training.
- Learn BadmintonA structured, educational learning path for badminton — from the rules to skills, techniques, tactics and training.
- Learn VolleyballA structured, educational learning path for volleyball — from the rules to skills, techniques, tactics and training.
Beginner guides
- Your First Badminton SessionA warm, honest look at what your first time on a badminton court actually feels like — how a beginner session runs, what surprises newcomers about the shuttlecock, and how to enjoy it without worrying about keeping score.
- Your First Volleyball Session: What to ExpectA warm, honest guide to what actually happens at your first volleyball session, so you can turn up relaxed, join in, and enjoy the rallies rather than worry about getting everything right.
Go deeper with Touching the net
Everywhere else on the platform that covers Touching the net — assembled from what actually references it, so nothing here is a dead end.
Learn it
Structured courses and paths on the platform that cover this directly.
Take it away
Open data and the whole-platform view of this subject.
How this page is maintained
- Content type
- Rule
- Provenance
- Tier A — evergreen educational
- Verified external sources
- 0
- Content updated
- 2026-07-09
Evergreen, first-party explanation — it makes no claim that needs an external source. How we handle sources and reviews.