One commonly used surface for tennis courts is one that is known as Rebound Ace. This substance is hard, and it is found in may courts throughout the world. It consists of a basic layer of asphalt and/or concrete that is topped with acrylic paint that is combined with sand to get a semi-sticky, grippy, consistent surface. Tennis courts that are made of Rebound Ace have a predictable bounce and speed due to the fact that the court is uniformly created of the same hard materials. To that end, it’s a good place to begin playing tennis so that you can get the feel of a consistent surface. Another type of tennis court that you may run into is one that is made of clay. Clay courts are made of crushed-up bricks and covered with a layer of rough, loose clay. Clay courts make the ball stick to the ground more, causing the ball to slow down. Consequently, you may find yourself skidding when performing quick movements due to the loose surface. To win on a clay court, work on hitting the ball deep into your opponent’s side of the court, putting as much spin on the ball as you can. This limits your opponent’s opportunities to return the shot. Also, you may want to consider making shots that will put your opponent off of their footing, causing them to miss the return. Grass tennis courts are not seen as often as they used to be, but you can still find them out there. Wimbledon is a grass court, and is one of the few remaining competitions held on grass. Grass can cause the ball to bounce much lower, making grass courts a field of advantage for those who make quick, low shots. Changing up your shots from shot-type to shot-type can also provide to be an efficient advantage over your opponent when playing on grass. Now that you know more about how the courts of tennis can effect your game, you can better understand exactly what you need to do to keep on top of your game. Happy playing!

Clay courts are made of crushed stone, brick, or shale, and are usually reddish orange in color, although they can be green as well. Clay courts are considered slow courts where balls tend to bounce higher and more slowly than on other surfaces. Consequently, points often last longer on clay courts as players tend to stay near the baseline – the line farthest from the net – and play defensively because it is so difficult to simply blast one by their opponent. The second kind of playing surface that one would find on a tennis court is grass. Rarely seen because of their high maintenance costs, grass courts are grown on firmly packed soil, much like a golf green. Of all the playing surfaces, grass presents the most variables to players. Successful grass court players typically play a serve and volley style of game where they quickly rush to the net after serving in hopes of forcing their opponent to hit a fast and perfect return; not easy on a fast, grass court. The most famous grass court is most certainly Centre Court at Wimbledon, home of The Championships, Wimbledon, a Grand Slam event and the oldest event in championship tennis.

Faster than clay courts yet slower than grass courts, hard courts are the most common type of tennis court. Constructed of cement or synthetic materials, hard courts vary in speed and bounce, but generally fall in the middle of the spectrum on both fronts. Hard courts are also the most conducive to all styles of play and, unlike grass or clay, they do not provide significant advantage or disadvantage to players with different styles. Consequently, hard courts are often considered to provide the fairest test of all around skill. The United States Open and Australian Open are both played on hard courts, although the US Open uses an acrylic surface while the Australian Open utilizes a synthetic surface. Indoor courts are a variable of hard courts that are usually made of cement, wood, or even artificial turf. They typically have similar playing characteristics that are similar to other variations of hard courts.