The sport of tennis might look the same to you regardless of what type of court surface the game is being played on; however, experienced players and coaches know that the court surface can dramatically impact and effect the speed, spin and momentum of a tennis ball.
About Surfaces
According to ESPN, the tennis ball will skid more and stay lower on faster court surfaces. Skidding means that instead of taking a normal true bounce, the ball will get more length and depth as opposed to height. ESPN adds that on fast court surfaces you must be more defensive, which gives an advantage to players who charge the net and gives you less time to set up different shots because you are worried about simply returning the ball. According to ESPN, tennis facilities control court speed by manipulating the materials under the court, which usually involves adding more sand to slow down the court or eliminating sand to speed it up. The International Tennis Federation has a system to rate court speed that ranges from a court pace rating, or CPR, of 1 for the slowest courts to 5 for the fastest courts.
Grass Courts
Grass courts were the original court surface and once the only surface that was used for tennis. Today, grass courts still are used but rare due to the fact that hard courts are easier and cheaper to maintain. According to Top End Sports, grass surfaces are considered to be fast courts and can lead to variable bounces. These differences in bounce depend on the condition of the grass and when it was mowed, according to Top End Sports. Higher grass will lead to slower ball speeds, while shorter grass will speed up the momentum of the ball. In addition, grass that is healthy and plush can slow the tennis ball down, while barren or dead patches can speed up and even alter the path of the ball.
Clay Courts
Top End Sports says that clay courts are considered to be slow courts, meaning the ball bounces high and more slowly off the clay. Clay courts are rarely seen or used except during professional tournaments and other events. The surface is softer, as Top End Sports notes that balls leave a visible mark on the court after shots. The softness leads to truer bounces that are easier to return compared with grass and hard courts.
Hard Courts
Hard courts often are the surface of choice, especially for amateur events. They require little to no maintenance, making them much cheaper than grass or clay. Top End Sports notes that hard court surfaces can range from concrete to coated asphalt to turf that is laid over concrete. According to Top End, hard courts are considered to be fast surfaces, meaning bounces are fast, hard and low, which makes it difficult to return shots and gives an advantage to players who can serve the ball fast.
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