Christiaan Steenekamp
Tennis is one of the few sports where there are different types of courts available to play on. The different courts each have their own unique playing characteristics, which will affect the strategy behind the playing approach. The four main surface types are grass, clay, hard, and artificial grass.
Grass courts are the traditional court type and are the signature court type at Wimbledon. It is a difficult surface to maintain since grass is a living organism and needs to be monitored constantly. Since it is a fairly quick surface, the ball bounces low, resulting in strategies like volleys and drop shots being used. The serve is also more important on this court than on the others. Grass courts are affected by how often it is mowed and how many players used the court before you.
Clay courts, which look the most aesthetically pleasing, are made of crushed shale or brick and have an iconic brown colour. This surface is slower and produces a high bounce, leading to longer rallies and allowing players to slide across the surface. This is ideal for more defensive players, since the serve is not as effective on this court type. Clay courts have lower injury rates than acrylic courts due to lower friction. The French Open is known for its majestic clay courts.
Hard courts have acrylic surface layers. It is the most consistent surface type. It is a faster surface than clay, but slower than grass. The ball bounces higher due to the court having lower energy absorption. The Australian Open is played on a synthetic surface whilst the US Open is played on an acrylic hard court.
Artificial grass surfaces provide a more even bounce than natural grass surfaces. The ball tends to keep low as well. This court type drains faster than real grass and is less prone to wear and tear damage. It is also much cheaper to maintain than real grass. Will this information change your life? Probably not. Is it interesting? Absolutely!