Turf Management - Tennis Courts

Tennis Courts

There are two main types of tennis court, grass and clay. The clay courts can then be divided into natural clay, hard courts and fast/dry courts.

All tennis courts should ideally be a little west of true north to ensure minimum problems from sunlight.

• Grass courts. Historically very popular they are now slowly being replaced by clay courts which offer the opportunity of year round usage and lower maintenance.

The skills needed to maintain a grass court are considerable. Traditionally the court is split into the foundations and drainage, the soil or binding layer and the grass. All three must work together to provide the best playing surface. Maintenance of grass courts is typically split into the following areas

• Mowing, 6 to 8 mm
• Fertilisers.
• Scarification. Mechanically raising the surface turf to prevent compaction.
• Rolling. Usually done is springtime to correct any problems from the winter weather.
• Aeration. Winter work to remedy compaction over the summer. It will encourage deep rooting as well as assisting in drainage.
• Seeding or worn areas after the season has ended.
• Top dressing at the end of the season to maintain turf quality.

Artificial grass courts are a popular option at club level as they are weather resistant and their shock absorbing qualities help limit injuries. However they are not recommended for high skill levels and are expensive to maintain. The Lawn Tennis Association cost a basic court at £27,000 and replacement turf every 9 years, a further £11,000.

• Clay courts. Clay courts require water to keep from cracking. This limits their use in both very dry regions. At the other extreme countries like the United kingdom with very wet seasons can make a Clay court unplayable for long periods and also give rise to expensive maintenance at the start of the season. Normal maintenance is basically regular watering and rolling. This prevents the surface turning into dust. Clay courts can have both sub surface and above surface irrigation. They provide a good training surface with a medium to slow pace and consistent bounce. The Lawn Tennis Association prices the courts at between £34,000 and £60,000 to construct.

• Hard courts. Typically made from asphalt or concrete with an acrylic covering. They are also called synthetic granular courts. These courts typically provide a “fast” game which means the tennis ball will bounce with a low angle. The speed of the court can be changed by varying the amount of sand present in the covering. If a layer of cushioning material is added to a hard court then the performance increases and this is typical of an all weather court. However the cost of the cushioning can be substantial.

An interesting problem with asphalt courts arises in very hot environments. The asphalt absorbs heat very quickly, however the painted lines will reflect the heat and this differential in temperature can lead to surface cracking. These courts are generally low maintenance but they will need to be recoated every 5 to 10 years. Most maintenance involves keeping the surface clean. There is generally little movement in the surface which means added strain on ankles and knee joints. The Lawn Tennis Association costs a porous macadam court at £20,000 and it should last 10 to 12 years with low maintenance costs. An acrylic court would cost around £25,000 and is long lasting with low maintenance.

• “Fast/dry” courts. A relatively new innovation from America. These are generally made from basalt taken from the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia which is then finely crushed and used as the top layer over either a purpose built sub layer or just placed on top of an existing clay or asphalt. This type of surface is promoted as allowing more “sliding” by the players and therefore it helps to limit tennis injuries to the lower parts of the body. These courts are typically slower than grass. They can dry very quickly and do not have the heat reflection problems of clay courts. Porosity is low and often these courts will have a slight slope to aid water run off. These courts are similar to the basic clay court described above.