THE COURT

A tennis court is where a game of tennis is played. It is a firm rectangular surface with a low net standing across the center.

Dimensions

Tennis is played on a rectangular flat surface, usually of grass, clay, concrete (hard court) or a synthetic suspended court. The court is 78 feet (23.77 m) long, and its width is 27 feet (8.23 m) for singles matches and 36 feet (10.97 m) for doubles matches. Additional clear space around the court is needed in order for players to reach overrun balls. A net is stretched across the full width of the court, parallel with the baselines, dividing it into two equal ends. The net is 3 feet 6 inches (1.07 m) high at the posts, and 3 feet (914 mm) high in the center.

The court on the right side of each player is called the deuce court, while the left side is called the ad court (short for "advantage court").

Types of tennis courts

There are four main types of courts depending on the materials used for the court surface: clay courts, hard courts, grass courts and indoor courts. Each playing surface has its own unique characteristics which affect the playing style of the game.

Of the Grand Slam tournaments, the U.S. Open and Australian Open use hardcourts (though both used grass courts in the past, and the U.S. Open also used clay courts), the French Open is played on clay (though it too was played on grass before 1928), and Wimbledon is played on grass.

Clay courts

Clay courts are made of crushed shale, stone or brick, and are either red or green. The red clay is slower than the green, or Har-Tru(c) "American" clay. Clay courts are considered "slow", because the balls bounce relatively slowly with less forward motion, making it less difficult for a player to hit an unreturnable shot. Points are usually longer as there are fewer winners. Therefore, clay courts heavily favour baseliners who are consistent and are generally more defensive. These clay courters hit shots with heavy spin, which makes the ball travel with a forward motion, this results in a higher bounce due to the "kick" of topspin. Clay courts are more common in Europe and South America than in the United States. In the U.S., courts made of rubico are often called "clay". This is not the same as clay used in most European and South American countries. The French Open uses clay courts.The killer of the clay court is Rafael Nadal.

Hard courts

Hard courts, usually made of cement or plastic, are considered "fast" surfaces, where fast, low bounces keep rallies short, and powerful, hard-serving players have a slight advantage. Hard courts can vary in speed, but they are faster than clay and slower than grass courts, which allow the ball to slide. These courts are considered the most equal for all playing styles. The US Open is played on DecoTurf, an acrylic hard court, while the Australian Open is played on Rebound Ace, a synthetic hardcourt.

The main difference between Rebound Ace and true hardcourt surfaces is the level of hardness. Rebound ace is softer (more spongy) . Consequently, when the ball bounces on this surface a large part of the ball's momentum is absorbed by the surface and reduces its speed. On a hard surface the loss of momentum is negligible because the surface provides less cushion to the bouncing ball.

The amount of sand used in the top paint also determines the speed. More sand means less speed. The amount of friction can also be altered and more friction will produce a clay court effect, where topspin is magnified. The extra grip/friction will resist the sliding effect of the ball and the resistance will force the ball to change its rotation. The extra grip provided by the surface is also dangerous because it can resist the movement of the player and can cause injury.

The ITF classifies Rebound Ace as a type two category (medium/medium fast) hardcourt.

Grass courts

Grass courts are the fastest type of tennis court in common use (AstroTurf which is rarely used for tennis is faster). They consist of grass grown on very hard-packed soil, similar to golf greens , which adds an additional variable: bounces depend on how healthy the grass is, how recently it has been mowed, and the wear and tear of recent play. Points are usually very short and the serve plays a more important role. Grass courts tend to favour serve-and-volley tennis players, such as John McEnroe, Pete Sampras and as of late, the dominant grass courter Roger Federer. The most famous grass tennis court in the world is Centre Court at Wimbledon. The surface is less firm and more slippery than hard courts, causing the ball to slide and bounce lower, and so players must reach the ball faster. Serve and volley players take advantage of the surface by serving the ball(usually a slice serve because of its effectiveness on grass) and then running to the net to cut off the return of serve, leaving their opponent with little time to reach the low-bouncing, fast-moving ball. Players often hit flatter shots to increase power and allow the ball to travel faster after and before the ball hits the ground. Due to high maintenance costs however, grass courts are now rare as they must be watered and mowed often, and take a longer time to dry after rain than hard courts. For a more extensive discussion of the skills most advantageous on grass court, please see Grass Court Specialist.

Suspended courts

Synthetic suspended courts are usually made of a polypropylene plastic interlocking tile. They are placed on top of a hard surface such as asphalt or concrete. They are suspended approximately 3\4" above the hard surface allowing water and air to flow under it. The Flex Court has shock absorption for vertical and lateral forgiveness. This surface is generally cooler than a hard court surface and players can play longer on it without getting as tired. These USTA approved playing surfaces such as Flex Court are generally considered a “medium speed" surface where the ball bounces similar to a clay court but the player has much better foot traction. World premier doubles player Jonas Bjorkman prefers to practice and play on the Flex Court suspended court because it “has absolutely wonderful stress relief on ankles, knees and legs.” These suspended courts play similar to clay courts but the sliding foot shots are not made because of the great foot traction. This surface is less expensive than clay because it requires almost no maintenance once the court is in place.

Indoor courts

Special surfaces can only be used indoors. Most commonly carpet surfaces, carpet courts vary in playing characteristics due to differences in thickness, texture, and materials used in the base and yarn. Suspended surfaces may be used indoors. The ATP tennis tour also considers rubber surfaces as carpet. While being the most common surface for real tennis, wood is the rarest surface for tennis. It is also the fastest surface, which bounces faster and lower than grass.