Tennis Court Maintenance and Cleaning

Tennis courts have different characteristics that affect the way that the game is played and how they need to be maintained. Red, green and blue clay courts are made of crushed stone, shale or brick, which all slow down the ball more than hard, grass or carpet (artificial turf) courts. Clay courts are cheaper to install but more costly to maintain; they require regular rolling and good drainage. They are most prevalent in Europe, where they are used, for instance, in the French Open, and South America. Clay courts favour novice and baseline players.

Grass courts provide the fastest game, due to the low bounce, which means that players must get to the ball as quickly as possible. They are now rare, because of the costs involved in maintaining them with grass cutting and care. They also take the longest to dry out after the rain, and can quickly become patchy or uneven. However, grass courts are among the kindest to the human body, due to their excellent shock absorption. These courts suit serve-and-volley players and have been used at Wimbledon since 1877.

Hard courts are usually made from asphalt or concrete, which is sometimes covered with a painted acrylic layer. These courts generally provide for faster play than clay courts but provide slower play than grass surfaces. Hard courts have been used for the US Open since 1978 and tend to equalise the court in terms of athletic ability. They can be found all over the world.

Finally, carpet and Synthetic tennis courts include artificial turf courts, which are sometimes treated with a sand or rubber infill. These courts generally provide for a higher bounce rate than traditional grass, have a more uniform and predictable surface than traditional grass, and so are better suited for novice and younger players. Artificial grass courts recover more quickly from wet conditions and are kinder to the body than hard court surfaces.