Patience is a virtue, but mainly on clay. It's best to move forward, but nowhere more so than on grass. Variety is the spice of life, but it may be the key to life on hard courts. One of the biggest variables in the game of tennis is the surface of the court. The three main surfaces--clay, grass and hard courts--can dictate the way a match is played and can go a long way toward determining the winner.
Speed
The surface of a tennis court impacts how fast the ball will travel on it. The International Tennis Federation assigns courts a "Surface Pace Rating." According to the ITF, most clay courts are classified as slow. Most hard courts are classified as medium/medium fast. And most grass courts fall into the fast category. While clay, hard and grass are the three main surfaces, tennis is also played on artificial turf, carpet and rubber. The surface can also affect the height of the bounce, footing, injuries and even line calls.
Grand Slams
Tennis' four major tournaments, which make up the Grand Slam, are played on three different surfaces. The majors start and end on hard courts, kicking off the season at the Australian Open and ending it at the U.S. Open. Second on the slate is the French Open, which is played on clay. Wimbledon, third on the calendar, is played on grass. Largely because the different surfaces present unique challenges, only five players in the history of tennis, as of 2010, have achieved a Grand Slam in a calendar year. Rod Laver did it twice.
Clay Courts
Clay courts are most often made of crushed brick or stone, and are usually red or green. Because the clay slows down the pace of the ball, you'll see longer rallies and fewer outright winners on the surface. Another thing you'll notice when watching clay-court tennis is that players often slide into their shots, which helps them conserve energy. There are also fewer line disputes on clay because the ball leaves a mark when it bounces, and any disagreements can be resolved by checking the evidence. Another benefit to clay courts is that they are soft and cause less impact on the body, which can help decrease the number of injuries. Bjorn Borg, Rafael Nadal and Chris Evert are considered some of the all-time best players on clay.
Grass Courts
Tennis traces its roots to grass courts, but they are becoming more and more rare today. At one time, three of the four majors were played on grass. Today, the only pro tournament held on grass in North America is in Newport, R.I. The most notable example of grass-court tennis is Wimbledon, and you'll notice a distinct playing style if you watch the tournament. Because it is difficult to maintain a smooth surface on grass, the bounces can be unpredictable and the ball often skids. You'll see players charging the net much more frequently on grass than on any other surface. The points are generally shorter and an aggressive style usually is preferred. Grass courts can be difficult to maintain and can become extremely slippery when they are wet. Pete Sampras, Roger Federer and Martina Navratilova are considered some of the best grass-court players of all time.
Hard Courts
Most tennis players in the United States are familiar with hard courts, which are frequently found in parks and clubs. Hard courts are typically made of asphalt or concrete with an acrylic coat. Hard courts are considered a middle ground between clay and grass. The ball bounces faster than it does on clay but not as fast or low as it does on grass. Because the surface is almost always uniform, bounces are consistent and footing is true. The surface tends to reward players who have an all-court style-- who can hit strong shots from the baseline and attack the net. Graf, who won five U.S. Opens and four Australian Opens and a Grand Slam, and Rod Laver, who won two Grand Slams, are among the best ever.
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