Five Seasons Family Sports Club Blog

Tennis is one of the most fun and challenging sports that you can play. From your teenage years all the way into your golden years, you can continue to play tennis as long as you want to. This intricate and detailed sport has become immensely popular, and with that global popularity has come a lot of different variations and improvements to everything from equipment to court types. If you want to be competitive across each different type of court, you have to understand how each surface affects the ball and your play style. If you want to learn how to master the game of tennis on all different kinds of courts, come into your local Five Seasons Family Sports Club today to meet with one of our elite tennis trainers.

Clay

Clay courts are usually comprised of powdered and compressed stone, brick, or shale. These courts require a lot of maintenance compared to their artificial counterparts, requiring periodic rolling to ensure flatness and a careful balance of water to retain its firmness. The lines also tend to get a bit obscured with clay courts, which can lead to some serious debates on sideline rulings if not properly maintained.

Used predominantly in Europe, clay courts are the traditional court of the French Open. Clay courts create a slower game, with higher ball bounces and less velocity overall. The best way to utilize a clay court is by adapting your play style to fit the confines that this type of court creates. Playing on the baseline will be extremely beneficial for players, ensuring that you can get ahead of potentially dangerous shots from your opponent.

Grass

Grass is one of the most uncommon courts today due to the high level of maintenance required to keep these court playing well. The dirt on these courts is packed very densely and the grass itself is cut very short. The lines must be painted on each court on a daily basis and can easily smudge if played on extensively. These courts are the signature courts of Wimbledon, adding to this tournament’s storied and rich history of tradition.

Playing on grass courts can be tough due to the extreme speed of play. The grass absorbs the balls upward momentum, making bounces much shorter overall. Players who have been practicing tip drills and speed training will thrive here, as quick reactions, speed, and ball velocity will be crucial. Using a powerful serve on grass can help earn you quite a few aces across your matches.

Hard Courts

Hard courts can vary greatly on their overall playstyle depending on what the court is made of. Acrylic hard courts are some of the most popular hard courts and are used in the US Open, whereas synthetic hard courts are used for the Australian Open. Overall, artificial hard courts have become the most popular option and have been installed in most tennis gyms, high schools, the White House, and are even used in the Sony Ericsson Open. There are no hard and fast rules for how each of these hard courts plays, which is why it is immensely important to play a few practice games and see how each court surface reacts before competitive matches.

The world of tennis can get complicated fast. Between getting the right gear and learning the best techniques for each court, getting an expert’s advice can really help you take your tennis game to the next level. If you would like to meet with one of our expert trainers or join one of our fun tennis classes or leagues, get in contact with your local Five Seasons Family Sports Club today!