Types of Tennis Court Surface
Posted on February 21, 2009
Filed Under Home Tennis Courts
There are quite a few different types of tennis court surfacing materials available today and they each have different effects on the game play. They can affect the way in which both the player and the ball react to the tennis court surface and this in turn has an effect on the overall game. Some people prefer certain types of tennis court surface over others as they become used to a certain type of material.
To give you an idea of how a surface changes the game here is a quick rundown of the different types of tennis court surfacing material you can use today and what effect they have.
Grass Tennis courts are ideal for a person looking for a recreational tennis court that looks great in their garden. However grass courts require a lot of maintenance and many people will opt for artificial grass instead. If you are choosing live grass, you can expect the ball speed on the court to be fast with a low bounce height. This can vary somewhat on a grass court though. Grass courts also provide a firm footing with only a partial slide so they can both provide friction and slip. It is also a naturally soft surface which means less shock to the player when running around.
Artificial Grass courts on the other hand also provide a high ball speed but with a medium to low bounce height. Because the grass is artificial it is less varied so you can expect a more uniform response. The extra benefit of artificial grass is that it is less indecisive when it comes to slip. The artificial grass court is definitely for people who like a firm footing with no slipping.
Clay courts provide a slow ball speed but with more height to the bounce. It’s almost a uniform result each time but with a very slight variable. It is a sliding court for players but also a non slip material. Clay is a more difficult material to work on and not common but some professionals prefer clay. If you have never used a clay tennis court surface before it will take some time for you to handle it.
Impervious Acrylic is the next best thing when it comes to tennis court material surfaces. It has the reliability of Clay with uniform responses, a medium bounce height for the ball and is a non slip surface however it also has the additional benefit of a medium ball speed on the court and firm footing.
The characteristics of all these materials change both the ball reactions on the court and the player movement but they each have their own benefits in different ways. The perfect court for you can be any of these materials, it really depends on what you are used to and what you feel good playing on.
Source: Tennis Courts Online.
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