There are four main tennis court surfaces. Each one varies greatly from the other three, and many players prefer one surface over another. One surface can greatly improve your game, while another may expose your weaknesses. Finding your best surface is important, and knowing how to play on each surface is vital.
Hard
Hard courts are the most common type of tennis court. These are found at parks, in apartment complexes, and account for about 80% of the tennis courts in the USA. They are usually made of cement or asphalt, but can be made of other things as well. A hard court has a very true bounce. It plays slower than grass courts, but faster than clay courts. It is a pretty neutral court that benefits many types of games.
Clay
Clay courts are the second most common type of tennis court. Clay courts can vary widely, but no matter what the clay court is, the ball usually moves very slowly. The ball tends to bounce higher and move slower, making a clay court a surface that benefits a baseline player. Many people like clay courts because of the ability to slide on them, but others also hate them for this same reason. Clay courts benefit quick players and tend to induce long defensive matches.
Grass
The next type of tennis court is grass. Grass courts are very rare and are very difficult to maintain. They require cutting and watering every day, and need time to recover after each match. On a grass court the ball tends to skid and stay low to the court. Movement is also somewhat difficult on grass courts. Slipping is common, and grass court shoes are specifically made to help with this problem. Overall, a grass court tends to favor a hard hitting player, and a big server.
Carpet
The final type of tennis court is carpet. In the 70’s and before, carpet was very common, but now it is almost impossible to find. This surface varies a lot from court to court. Some carpet courts play like grass courts, while others play more like a hard court. Carpet courts now mainly refer to a catch-all of synthetic materials now used to make tennis courts. It is rarely used in professional levels, but is more common at the local level.
The four types of courts vary greatly from each other and benefit different types of players. A hard court benefits a neutral player and plays very neutral. A clay court benefits a defensive player and plays very slow. A grass court plays very fast, therefore benefiting a hard hitter. Lastly, a carpet court can benefit almost any type of player because of the wide range of materials used to make them. Although there are many differences, tennis is a great game and can offer a great workout on any type of court.
