The three most common surfaces used to play the game of tennis are clay, concrete and grass. Not only do these surfaces vary from each other greatly in terms of texture and feel, but they can cause one style of tennis player to have an advantage over another!
Concrete or hard courts are by far the most common surface used to play the game of tennis on. These courts are constructed out of concrete, even though a mixture of asphalt and/or rubberized material is sometimes used on the surface. One reason for their great popularity worldwide is the low level of maintenance required for the upkeep of the court regardless of climate. Most concrete courts, once they’ve been built, require annual maintenance at the most. Due to the flat, firm and even surface of concrete courts, the bounce of the tennis ball is very predictable. As a result, both tennis players who favor the baseline and those who love to serve-and-volley can do well on this surface! Of the four major Grand Slam Tournaments played in professional tennis each year, two of the championships are contested on concrete/ hard court surfaces: The Australian Open and the U.S. Open.
Grass courts are by far the fastest surface used to play the game of tennis. Tennis balls tend to bounce very unpredictably, low and fast due to the uneven slick surface. Grass courts are literally made out of grass and the tennis court is usually marked out on a relatively flat lawn with a firm layer of soil beneath. Maintenance for grass courts can be very intensive as the grass will need to be cut every couple of days/week (to keep it as low as possible) and the sidelines re-painted. A heavy roller is commonly used to even the surface as much as possible, but due to inconsistencies in soil, some areas of the court may be a little bumpy while others might slope at strange angles. As a result, serve-and-volley players who play their best game at the net do well on this surface as they don’t have to deal with erratic bounces of the ball. In contrast, baseline players, who love long rallies from behind the baseline, will be at a disadvantage. Wimbledon, the most famous tennis tournament, is the sole Grand Slam contested on a grass surface.
Clay courts are also a common surface used to play tennis. The ‘clay’ isn’t actually clay but a mixture of crushed stone, rubber and plastics. These courts tend to be the most expensive to upkeep and the surface needs to be raked and moisturized daily and every week or so, new ‘clay’ needs to be added. Clay courts are generally built on a concrete foundation and as a result, the surface tends to be reasonably smooth and consistent. However, due to the ‘clay’ surface the speed of the tennis ball is reduced significantly when it bounces on the court. As a result, long rallies are common when playing on this surface, and strong baseline players tend to do very well. Serve-and-volley players are at a disadvantage as the power of their volleys from the net are diminished when they bounce on their opponent’s court. The French Open is the only Grand Slam tennis tournament that is contested on clay.
When playing tennis, consider the type of court you will be on to adjust your play. Your game can change because of the changes in courts. This allows for a variety of different types of tennis games and can increase the excitement of the game.
