Tennis Courts And The Basics

No matter what part you love of the sport it is important to know all the basics of tennis courts. Without the knowledge and information you may find yourself watching matches with no real understanding of what is going on.

Tennis courts are the setting for some of the most exciting athletic events around. Whether one single player takes on another or a doubles match is in full swing, the crowd is usually on the edge of their seats waiting to see who is going to reign supreme. As a fan, you will enjoy watching the sport more if you know all the ins and outs of the court. As a player it is important to know the perimeters that will set the stage for your match.
Shape and Size:
Tennis courts are always rectangular in shape no matter how many players are involved (two or four). It is 78 feet long providing plenty of room for each side to work. The width is 36 feet for both singles and doubles. It splits into two horizontally right down the middle with opponents facing off with only a net separating them. Nets are always about 3 feet high right in the center. Most people have seen a court before whether at a school facility, a local park, or even in a neighbor's backyard. You can't miss the large rectangle of green. Typically it is made from clay, concrete, or grass.
Material: Grass
Many people looking to construct their own tennis courts use Astro Turf or grass. The soil must be packed down tightly in order to keep the field level and even. The way the ball moves when it hits the ground will depend on the overall maintenance and care of the grass. Here the serve on this surface can be key to winning a match. In Rhode Island, the International Tennis Hall of Fame is made up of grass as is one of the most famous locations for the sport: Wimbledon. On the upside, this type of material can be beautiful to look at during a match. It sets the stage for an intense competition of back and forth play. On the downside, it can be expensive and time consuming to take care of. The elements and weather can change the effectiveness and can cause problems for major competitions and tournaments.
Material: Clay
Crushed pieces of brick, stone or even shale can create clay tennis courts. While the ball does tend to slow down there is a very high bounce that competitors need to keep an eye on. This type of material is used at The French Open and needs to be consistently rolled to make sure that the surface stays uniform. While we don't see these much in the United States, they are more popular in both Latin America as well as Europe.
Material: Hard
There are all types of materials that make up hard surfaces. For example, the U.S. Open is acrylic. The Australian Open is synthetic. In either case most players notice that the ball tends to move quickly and if you have a hard hit, you may have a slight advantage over your opponent.

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