Types Of Tennis Court
Abstract
Tennis has grown to be one of the most popular sports in the world. Thanks to athletes like Olympic medalist Leander Paes and women's Grand Slam victor Sania Mirza, tennis has reached new heights of popularity throughout the subcontinent. The lawn tennis court's playing surface, like that of many other sports, is essential to upholding the law of the game. Thus, having a thorough understanding of the types of tennis courts is necessary not only for playing the sport but also for comprehending and enjoying it.
Lawn tennis court dimensions and structure
- A competitive tennis court must be rectangular and 23.77 metres long by rules set forth by the International Tennis Federation (ITF), the sport's international governing body. However, the breadth varies between singles and doubles (10.97 metres).
- When looking down at a lawn tennis court, the baselines are the two parallel lines that run horizontally down the width of the court, and the sidelines are the lines that run vertically along the length of the court.
- Since practically every type of tennis court surface in the world has sidelines marked for both singles and doubles matches, solo matches have their sidelines drawn inside the doubles sidelines.
- On either side of the lawn tennis court, this creates two lanes that are each 1.37 metres wide and 23.77 metres long. In singles matches, the lanes are outside the playing area; in doubles matches, they are inside.
- A 1.07-meter-high net that divides the court into two halves is suspended parallel to the baselines. During a game, one-half is defended by each team or person.
- A service line marked 6.40 metres from the net divides each half. However, the service line only goes as far as the singles sideline marker.
- The vertical centre service line connects the midpoints of the two service lines, forming two rectangular boxes known as service areas next to the net in either half of the lawn tennis court. During serving, this region is vital.
- A player must stand and serve from beyond the baseline in a tennis match. From either the left or right of the centre mark, they can serve.
- To be considered a valid serve, the player's shot must clear the net and land inside the diagonally opposite service area in the other team's half. A fault is committed if you don't comply. A double fault results in the opponent receiving a point when there are two errors in a row.
- However, it should be noted that the service areas do not extend into the side lanes and are the same for singles and doubles matches.
- The service zones are also only active during the service. If the ball passes the net and bounces for the first time inside the playing area, all future shots, including the service return, are lawful.
- It is called an out and the opponent receives a point if the ball crosses the net but bounces outside the service area without touching their racket or body.
Classification of the types of tennis courts by the International Tennis Federation (ITF)
The different types of tennis court surfaces are formally categorized using the following terms by the International Tennis Federation (ITF):
| Surface code |
Type |
Description |
| A |
Acrylic |
Textured, pigmented, resin-bound coating |
| B |
Artificial clay |
Synthetic surface with clay |
| C |
Artificial grass |
Synthetic surface with natural grass |
| D |
Asphalt |
Bitumen-bound |
| E |
Carpet |
Textile or polymeric material |
| F |
Clay |
Unbound mineral |
| G |
Concrete |
Cement-bound |
| H |
Grass |
Natural grass |
| I |
Other |
Modular systems (tiles), wood, canvas |
Different types of tennis courts
Grass courts:
- The most quickly used form of the court is one made of grass. They are made of grass that is cultivated on severely compacted soil, which introduces more uncertainty. Bounces are influenced by the health of the grass, how recently it was mowed, and the wear and tear of recent play. Where rapid, low bounces keep rallies brief and points are typically scored quickly, the service is more crucial than on other surfaces. Tennis players who serve and volley often prefer playing on grass courts.
- Grass courts were previously among the most popular tennis surfaces, but they are now the most expensive to maintain, require frequent watering and mowing, and take longer to dry after rain than hard courts, making their season the shortest on the pro tour. But because the grass is so soft, it is the surface that the human body can interact with the best.
- The greatest grass-court players during the Open era are Pete Sampras and Roger Federer, in that order. The grass is used for the sport of tennis at Wimbledon, it's a spiritual home.
Clay Courts:
- Clay courts for tennis are constructed from crushed stone, brick, or shale. These courts make it difficult for server-based players to dominate the court because they slow down the ball and cause a high bounce, eliminating many of the benefits of powerful serves. Such courts cost more to maintain but are less expensive to build than other types of tennis courts.
- In Europe and Latin America, clay courts are more common than in North America, and they tend to significantly advantage baseline players. In addition to the French Open, the lengthy clay season on the ATP Tour also includes three Masters 1000 competitions.
Hard courts:
- Hard tennis courts give a more consistent bounce than other outdoor surfaces because they are comprised of a uniformly hard material with an acrylic surface layer. Although they are quicker than clay but slower than grass courts, hard courts can vary in speed. The amount of sand added to the paint has a significant impact on how quickly the ball slows down.
- To encourage longer, more strenuous rallies and eliminate the last few serve and volley players, tournament organisers have been gradually slowing down all hard courts since 2008.
- Both the US Open and the Australian Open are played on hard courts with acrylic tops called DecoTurf and Plexicushion, respectively.
Carpet Courts:
- In tennis, a "carpet" is any detachable court covering. Rolls of court surfacing with a rubber backing are kept in indoor arenas and temporarily installed for tennis competitions. The carpet tends to be faster than the hardcourt and has a lower bounce, which helps players who can serve well and play well at the net.
- The Australian Open up until 2007, the WCT Finals, the Paris Masters, the U.S. Pro Indoor, and the Kremlin Cup were notable tennis events that were originally hosted on carpet courts. The ATP and WTA tours, their use has been stopped since 2009.
Olympics tennis court
- Depending on the location, tennis has been played on all three types of tennis courts: grass, clay, and hard.
- Six of the last seven Olympic tennis competitions, except London 2012, have been held on hard courts. 1992 saw the final Olympic clay court tennis competition take place in Barcelona.
- At one point, top-level matches were played on carpet courts in addition to the three main tennis court surfaces used at Grand Slam tournaments. These are rolls or sheets of textile or polymeric material that can be laid on any flat area of concrete or sand to transform it into a tennis court.
- However, after 2009, such courts were no longer used by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), the organisation that governs elite men's tennis.
- While this was going on, the Women's Tennis Association (WTA), the organisation that oversees professional women's tennis, continued to hold events on carpet courts up until 2018 but discontinued doing so starting in 2019. The final professional competition to be staged on a carpet court was the 2018 Tournoi de Québec in Canada.
- While slower than grass courts, carpet courts are typically faster than hard courts.
- Any of these court configurations may be found indoors or outdoors. In contrast to indoor court matches, outdoor court matches are significantly impacted by weather.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the largest tennis court?
The largest tennis facility in the world is Arthur Ashe Stadium, which was constructed in 1997 at the USTA National Tennis Center in New York City.
Which type of tennis court surface is considered the best?
The most forgiving tennis court surface is unquestionably clay. It is most likely because of this that senior tennis players find it so appealing. Hard courts are the easiest to maintain, provide the best bounce, and enable both offensive and defensive players to succeed.
What are the different types of tennis court surfaces?
Grass, clay, and hard tennis courts are available. Although all tennis courts have the same dimensions, three main types of surfaces can be used for competitions: grass courts, hard courts, and clay courts.
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