Does the court you’re playing on really make a difference?
The answer to that is a resounding YES!
Let’s just start by saying that there are over 100 different kinds of tennis court surfaces. Since we’d be here forever if we were to list each and every one, let’s just focus on the four main types of surfaces and discuss the benefits and drawbacks to each.
Are the most common courts and often the ones you would find at public facilities, but are also used in some tennis clubs and professional tournaments. Compared to the other main type of courts, hard court conditions vary very little during the entire year and are fairly easy to maintain. The balls bounce fairly high and very consistently but players, specifically “seasoned players,” often develop or aggravate lower body injuries playing on these hard surfaces. It usually favors all-around players.
2. Clay Courts
Are considered one of the slower surfaces to play on, balls bounce high and they favor those with a baseline game, and not the huge servers with the serve-and-volley style of play. Many players with “Big Games” (e.g. Pete Sampras and Federer) struggle to play their best tennis on these type of courts. Clay requires a lot of upkeep, as it must be “frequently watered, rolled and brushed. According to the USTA, Most country clubs and high-end clubs in this area use these clay courts, with this major upkeep offset by the conditions of play these courts create for their players. These courts, as the name states, are softer than the other main types of courts and much easier on players bodies being the preferred type — or the ONLY type — by seasonal players to use. Since clay courts also slow down the game, it is also advantageous for players learning the game — adults or kids — to make use of them.
3. Grass Courts
Are the fastest surfaces that are played on. The world’s longest running and most prestigious tournament, Wimbledon is held on grass. You do not see many grass courts these days and one of the reasons for that, is that it takes a great deal more maintenance than any other surface. It can also be an unpredictable surface to play on due to the changing conditions of the grass itself; how recently it has been mowed and even how much it has been played on. Balls bounce really low on grass and because of this, the surface is considered to be the most difficult surface to play on.
4. Carpet Courts
Are used mainly on indoor facilities with cold winters. This is one of the less popular surfaces and is not used to host many major tournaments. There is a very short season of professional tournaments in Europe and not many tournaments, on this surface, are found in the US.