Tennis can be played on four different surfaces/courts and this article seeks to highlight the differences between these surfaces.
Table of Contents
Grass courts:
The grass court is reputed as the tennis court with the swiftest flow of play when compared to other courts. The surface of the grass court is made up of grass grown on very hard-packed soil. The rate at which the balls bounce on a grass depends heavily on how healthy the grass is, how recently it has been mown, and also how much wear and tear the court has experience as a result of recent plays. Another point to note about the grass court is that it has a far greater influence on serves when compared to other surfaces.
The grass court must be regularly watered and mown in order to keep it in good shape. The most famous pro tour grass court in the world is Wimbledon.
Clay Courts:
The surface of the clay court is made of crushed shale, stone, or brick. Renowned for its ability to slow down the ball and also produce high ball bounces which kills the potency of big serves.
Clay courts are arguably one of the cheapest tennis court surfaces to construct but bear in that, there are also quite expensive to maintain. This is due to the fact that, the long-term maintenance of the compressed shale, stone or brick which makes up its surfaces cost a lot especially when you consider the fact that, the court’s water balance has to be carefully monitored and adjusted regularly to maintain its features. And in addition, routine rolling of the court which serves to preserve its flatness must also be carried out too.
Hard courts:
Hard courts are the most common types of surfaces around today. It’s very cheap and easy to construct. The surface of these courts is made of a uniform rigid material, which also has an acrylic surface layer thus producing more frequent ball bounce than any other court. Although the hard court has various degrees of speed depending on the quantity of sand that was added to the paint during the construction of the court. But note that, despite the speed of the hard courts, its balls still don’t match the grass courts which are faster.
Carpet Courts:
Carpet courts are tennis courts with artificial/carpet surfaces. These surface are mostly found at indoor sports arenas and are put in place for the purpose of a tennis game and it’s pulled off immediately the play is over. Tennis games on carpet courts are normally faster than the hard courts. It is also characterized by low bounce which makes it far more easier for tennis players with shrewd serves and a decent net game to enjoy the play.
In conclusion, although most players prefer certain surfaces to the others the fact still remains that tennis is a beautiful game regardless of the court it’s played on.