When it comes to playing tennis on a court, there are four main surfaces that can impact the play. Certain materials are known for being more challenging than others to play tennis on. This is due to the traction generated, and the bounce that each court creates. 

If you are looking to add a tennis court to your home, you should consider the cost of your own tennis court, as well as the type of tennis court. Here are the four main types of tennis court, and how they differ from each other.  

Clay Court

Firstly, clay tennis courts can actually slow down the ball during a game or practice. Although the bounce is typically slower on a clay court, it tends to be higher than other tennis courts. As a result, this can slow down the overall pace of the game, and make rallies last longer. 

Players that usually rely on a strong serve tend to perform worse on clay tennis courts. This is due to the hard surface taking away from the impact of these serves. One of the most well-known clay courts can be seen at the French Open. 

These courts are made using crushed stone, clay pieces, or brick, and they were first created to prevent the grass courts from burning in the hot sun during summers in England. Clay was used as a protective material for early tennis games. 

Hard Court

Another type of tennis court that was made to reduce the maintenance of a grass court is a hard court. These provide a more consistent playing surface all year round, which allows training to continue regardless of the weather. 

Most hard tennis courts are made using an acrylic layer that is non-porous and cushioned. Although hard courts tend to be slower than grass for tennis, they are considerably faster than clay courts. 

Because of the widespread versatility of this material, hard tennis courts are some of the most common types of court in the country. Some of the most popular hard tennis courts include the Australian and the US Open. 

Artificial Grass Court

The next tennis court material is artificial grass. This is a synthetic material which has been made to mimic a grass court, without the regular maintenance. There is a consistent level of bounce, and the ball moves relatively quickly through the court. 

Artificial grass also has a high level of grip, which allows players to get used to the material when they are training. Different types of artificial grass can be seen in tennis courts, varying in terms of bounce, shade, and durability. 

However, this is one of the closest materials to regular grass tennis courts with fewer requirements for maintenance. 

Grass Court

Finally, grass tennis courts have been around for centuries. Some of the first games played on grass were known as ‘lawn tennis’, and it is widely believed that tennis was first played to a professional level on grass courts. 

Because of this, grass tennis courts are known as the traditional material for the game. The ball typically bounces low, and grass courts provide fast playing. Rallies are usually kept shorter on grass courts, which makes for a much more tense and competitive game on the whole. 

Players need to move fast on grass courts, which is why the serves tend to be slightly different. The biggest drawback of grass tennis courts is that they are difficult to maintain. Unlike the other court materials, grass needs to be kept in good condition. 

It can be relatively expensive to maintain these courts as a result, which is why they are slightly less popular than other tennis courts. Some grass courts are considered iconic, such as the one in Wimbledon, England. Because of this, they are being carefully maintained. However, they are still more expensive than other materials to maintain on the whole. 

Summary

Tennis is a highly competitive game that requires a huge amount of power, endurance, and stamina from players. As a result of the maintenance that is needed for grass tennis courts, there are multiple materials for tennis courts that can be seen. These include clay, artificial grass, and acrylic. 

Tennis is widely regarded as one of the most intense sports out there. This is due to the high levels of energy that players need to demonstrate throughout the game. There is certainly a respectable amount of stamina and endurance that are needed in order to become successful at playing tennis.