TENNIS tournaments across the world are played on a range of different surfaces, each of which has its own characteristics that impact the match in a different way.
The different courts and surfaces will affect how the game is played meaning players will always have a favoured surface. Below we’ve explained how the key characteristics of the three most common tennis courts the impact they have on the game…
Hardcourts
Hardcourt surfaces are the most common tennis courts that you will typically find at your local school, sports centre or tennis club. As the name suggests, hard courts are made of uniformed, rigid materials with an acrylic surface layer.
This surface is very popular across the world as it generally gives a good even and 'all-round' playing experience and offers more consistency than other outdoor surfaces.
Although the speed of play on hard courts can depend on the exact material used, they are generally faster than clay, but not as fast as grass. Both the Australian and US Opens are played on this surface.
Clay courts
Clay courts are made of crushed shale, stone or brick and are famously the slowest playing surface.
This surface slows down the ball and produces a slow and high bounce compared to other surfaces. This makes rallies generally longer and more suitable for baseline players and players who like to play tactically using lots of spin and finding great angles.
This surface also takes away many of the advantages of big serves, making it hard for players who rely heavily on their serve to dominate on clay. One of the most famous clay-court tournaments in the world is the French Open.
Artificial grass
This is a synthetic surface with the appearance of grass and in many ways plays similarly. The ball will move through quickly and generally keep low but is also a good surface for all standards of the player to learn on as the bounce is even and provides a consistent level of spin.
Here at Playrite, we offer a range of different surfaces to suit the requirements of the club, the standard of tennis and your budget and maintenance requirements.
For outdoor courts there are five surface options covering each of the ITF’s pace ratings; from 1 (slow) to 5 (fast). We can help you find the right artificial surface for your tennis club’s needs.
Find out more about Playrite on their member profile page here
Member-created content 4 years ago | By Made in Britain