But, if you're (1) a professional playing 20+ hours a week, or (2) over the age of 40 and playing more than 6 hours a week, playing on hard courts is hell on your body. Clay Tech is a high tech clay court that is a cost effective way of owning a Clay Tennis Court. Rolling: ClayTech courts do not need to be rolled. Nothing better than decent har-tru courts. Also avoid spraying the water too hard, which can cause the courts to erode. Want an at-home court? Less filling and rolling is needed, and the courts play better faster since previously it took a few weeks of constant play and work to firm things up. Tennis courts need to be surrounded in fencing to prevent balls leaving the court. I simply cant move on the damn courts and peeling out or stopping is problematic. . Fdration Franaise de Tennis, Morning: the courts are uncovered and swept, During the matches, between every set: courts are swept, line are brushed. Twenty-two-time slam winner is unvaccinated. Two players walk on the court and have an even chance of attaining victory. After a rain event remove standing water as soon as possible. This arrangement lends itself to a very intimate setting and a sense of privacy when playing. In the middle there is a net which divides the court into two equally sized halves. There are a number of reasons why clay is a great surface for tennis. Cleaning Remove the tapes and all leaves and debris and lightly scrape court to remove oversized particles. You can find these dimensions online or in a tennis court construction guide. VAMOS Rafa Redhill Tennis Club The Renshaw Brothers, back in 1880 in Cannes, apparently used powdered terra cotta to cover grass courts that were wilting in the heat. Z Pereira Lopes: Grip is everything when trying to stand up on a slippery clay court. Thank you for proving me wrong. The lines should be inspected and painted or refreshed as necessary. Laying Lines Install new line tapes. When I first started on the clay the bounces etc really annoyed me but now I love it. Clay court tennis is very different from the other surfaces. Watch Har-Tru president Pat Hanssen demonstrate how to use the Gator Rake line of grooming tools: A few simple daily routines will keep your court looking and playing great for years to come. The most expensive type of tennis court because it is also the hardest to maintain, clay tennis courts are smooth, reducing the speed of the ball as it bounces on the clay surface. Cleaning Remove the tapes and all leaves and debris and lightly scrape court to remove oversized particles. Though I wouldn't call myself an expert I have learnt what works and what doesn't in my conditions. But I started playing on hard courts, now I live in Europe and there are only clay courts. Of all the surfaces on which the sport can be played, clay is both the most physically demanding and the most subtle in terms of technique. . The brushing that does take place is most effective when using aggressive grooming tools such as the Gator Rake or the Steel Bristle Drag Brush. Avoid over watering and forming puddles on the court. With this sweeper at your courtside, you'll be able to ensure your court lines are visible to all concerned. However, most will require the following: With period maintenance of a clay court, you address irregularities in the court that develop over time. For clay courts which have to be watered above ground, youll really need to roll 1-3 times a week. Roll down the lines to make everything even, including the nails so they arent sticking out of the ground. 2) the lines are swept clean with a small broom. Thanks this is interesting. The Aussie Clean Sweep is a unique drag mat that picks up leaves, pine needles, sticks, stones and other debris in a matter of minutes. Courts 5 and 6 are on a still lower level, side-by-side. 0. If you play singles, it is 27 ft. A freshly groomed clay court also helps with one of the trickier tasks in all . But now I really like it. For a more expensive option, you can treat the area with a fungicidal wash, but you'll need to leave it for a few days after applying it. Brushing a Har-Tru court redistributes the loose top dressing material and smooths it out after play. Make certain the court drains (if applicable) are working properly and court adjacent landscape beds or turf areas are not impeding the flow of water off the courts. Daniil Medvedev has now won 14 matches in a row on the tour and moves to 19-2 for the season. It lessens the loosening between the top and base dramatically. Rollers, brushes, lutes and scarifiers, and other maintenance equipment are available in our store. Its slower, rallies are longer and the ball kicks up a lot more. Playing on clay is also great for your body, as youre less likely to pick up injuries than on grass or hard courts. For resurfacing, you need to clean the court thoroughly first, ensuring all mold and algae has been removed. A daily clay court maintenance shouldn't take more than 15 minutes. As a brand the HybridClay is considered to be the ultimate generation clay tennis courts and the system holds the prestigious 2 star ITF recognition as well being classified with the cat-1 slow by the ITF. For HAR-TRU tennis courts, found in the US (which look and play very similar to clay courts in Europe) there are only 3 layers; a bottom layer of stones for drainage, a thinner layer of smaller stones for screenings and a one inch layer of HAR-TRU on top. This video covers the proper. :) At Roland Garros, the signature red clay is a lot thinner, at just 1/12. I grew up with clay and I love it. Every time you finish playing, the 'clay' must be levelled out over the court (ideal coverage is 2 mm, or the thickness of a 2p coin) so that it completely covers the carpet underneath. Spray or pour onto the tennis court surface and use a soft brush scrubber on desired areas. It's never been easier to own a clay court New technology and new clay court surfaces make it easier than ever to own a clay court. Here is a step-by-step guide for building a clay tennis court: The first step in building a clay tennis court is to excavate the area. Insert nails into the line tape and into the ground, but leave them sticking out slightly. In German it's just called sand, and if the courts aren't well maintained they do play like beach-tennis. All of these subtleties come to the fore, while in terms of movement, it is of paramount importance for players to learn how to slide to good effect. The loose top dressing is moved around the court to even out the playing surface. Use on surfaces such as Synthetic Turf, Porous Clay, Loam, Gravel, Plexi-Pave, Rebound Ace, Asphalt, Fast Dry, etc. Not sure where to post this question. Be sure to leave a flat surface for the court to be built on. In comparison, the doubles court is slightly larger. Carlos Alcaraz needs to play smarter according to his coaches. Youll also become fitter due the longer rallies, so your overall stamina and endurance will improve. They provide more bounce than other surfaces, making them more challenging and fun to play on. Tennis courts are constructed to the following dimensions: Full size: 36.57 x 18.28m, Minimum LTA club size tennis court: 34.75 x 17.07m Domestic tennis court: 33.53 x 16.48m. Two squeegees per court are recommended to get you back to play as soon as possible. Learned to play on HC so preference to play my best game there. The French Open Grand Slam, for example, is played on red clay courts. Large structural cracks, distorted planarity, or more severe issues may require additional reconstruction. Blows sidewalks, empties trash from court and facility receptacles. Absolute rubbish!!!! After this, its best to lightly scrape and remove the dead material from the playing surface, collecting the excess clay in piles and removing it from the court. At the end of each round of play, use the drag broom to remove visible scuff marks. Once youve measured and checked the area carefully, its time to start building. If we all do this basic maintenance and we have a contractor who does a deep clean at least twice a year, then there is no reason why this surface will not last for 15 or 20-years! Blow debris and dust from surface of hard courts. This means that you will need to remove all of the topsoil and debris from the site. Har Tru can recommend local installation professionals to provide the best services. That's the kind of data I was looking for! Brushing can be done as needed before or after play. It should happen every two or four weeks. Re-using tapes is acceptable if the texture has not been worn off. You should compact this base stone once its all in place. If you live close to others, your tennis balls could intrude into their yards, and even if you live in an isolated area, you don't want to constantly lose your tennis balls in the woods, fields, river, or other natural areas! Concrete, Rebound Ace and other hard surfaces (3-4 x RAPID APPLICATION). Protect your hands with rubber gloves. For algae growth pressure washing may be used in conjunction with a bleach solution approved by the EPA for outdoor use. Please consult your Har Tru representative for advice, planning, and budgets. Clay tennis courts offer a number of benefits, including the following: Building a clay tennis court is not as difficult as it may seem. Tennis courts made of crushed stone, brick, shale, or another unbound mineral aggregate are referred to as clay courts. Ugly Christmas Sweater Holiday Party PHOTOS!!! Nadal has got his shots high on his opponents backhand side and that has taken them out of their comfort zone. Since then, technology has obviously developed but the concept remains the same. Z Pereira Lopes: "You need to develop the strength and ability to play the ball at or above shoulder height. The coaching in his country is all based around clay courts and that evolves around heavy top spin that gets the ball up high on a clay court. It also helps prevent too much loose top dressing material from building up on the court surface. Recoating with a new Har Tru Sports Coatings system is recommended every 4-7 years depending on use and environment. Wimbledon organisers and the LTA could be set to reverse the ban on players from Russia and Belarus. It also helps improve moisture retention and court drying time. Brushing: Brushing helps redistribute the top dressing material across the court surface. Watering the court also helps keep the lines in place, resulting in less bad bounces during a game and it minimizes the risk of the clay eroding. If youre looking to install a clay tennis court on your property, there are a few things you need to know. What we now know as 'clay' is actually made up of a number of different substances. The type of tennis court surface that you play on can have a major influence on how the game is played as well as on the effects of Tennis on your body. The first thing you need to do is to keep the tennis court surface free from, loose grit, debris and dirt. Download the ClayTech MaintenanceManual here. I've been playing in clay in Europe and the HarTru in the states for over 40yrs.just the opposite. Laying Lines - Install new line tapes. You do not get sure footing on clay. The cost to build a clay tennis court is about $60,000 to $90,000. Take a 5-gallon bucket and mix a solution of bleach and water (2 parts water to 1 part bleach) to apply to areas with mold or mildew. ClayTech maintenance is incredibly simple: Brush and water as desired. Daniil Medvedev handed Novak Djokovic his first defeat of the year and Andrey Rublev claimed his first win over Alexander Zverev. The court needs to have the line tape removed and the top layer removed by scarifying it. Cut off any excess tape so every line and corner is smooth. Clean debris from the surface. We offer everything from the playing lines and nails to put them in with to drag brushes and line sweepers to make the tennis court have that nice, crisp finished look. If your baseline is that bad then yes the club is doing a poor job of maintenance. Rolling is particularly important for tennis courts coming out of the winter in a freeze/thaw environment and should happen daily in this setting until the court reaches an optimal compaction. How to brush a clay tennis court You should brush clay court should before or after every match. You also have maintenance costs on top of that which can run into a couple of thousand dollars a year to roll the clay, water it regularly etc. If it's been really hot and dry I plan on some sprinkler time on top of that. Kolkmann recommends using someone who is an active member of ASBA, with at least 15% to 20% of annual business devoted to designing and constructing sport surfaces. During each match, crews rake the surface and sweep clay off of the lines at the end of each set. When you think of clay, tennis comes almost immediately to mind. However decades worth of coach and player testimony from the pro level will tell you it is true that clay is easier on the body. Am I playing on poorly maintained ones, or is this just how clay plays? No matter what type of tennis court you choose for your facility, regular maintenance is essential. At Roland Garros, there are 5 layers of different material. They are much easier on the body--especially as I get older. After watering your sprinkler irrigated Har-Tru (clay) court, roll the court as needed. Z Pereira Lopes : Legs and core are the foundation for every shot. Water keeps a court firm and stable and ensures proper traction. Rolling a court will make it firmer and faster. Clay courts are considered to be the most challenging and demanding surfaces for tennis players. Maximum 1500psi equipment only. With proper maintenance the inconsistency of bounces is held within a good tolerance level and then it's just a cool part of the game. https://www.quintadolago.com/en/the-campus/. A different floor makes for a different game than the one played on grass or synthetic surfaces. New HydroBlend and/or Coarse Blend should be added as needed. 2022 - all rights reserved Bryan Reese is the long-term head coach of Bartlesville varsity tennis. If a clay court is what your facility needs, here is what youll need to do to keep it in top shape. I wish there were more clay courts in my neck of the woods, but unless you pay to join an expensive club you are a hard court player around here. Brushing: Since HydroCourts and HyQ Courts stay at optimal moisture they require very little brushing. This combination doubtless explains why until a certain Rafael Nadal clay-med the surface as his own Roland-Garros was always the toughest tournament to dominate for any length of time. Picture each court as a three-layer cake that sinks 2 feet into the ground. And it is certainly no coincidence that, for the past half-century, these countries have provided the majority of French Open winners. Rinse well with clean water. How to sweep an artificial clay tennis court Mike Gubb 1 208 views 2 years ago A time lapse video on correct way to sweep an artificial clay tennis court , sweeping this way will. For the main sweep, make sure you do it everywhere including the playing area, the back of the court and close to the net. A clay tennis court is one of the most popular options. This version is 8 feet in width. Clay tennis court line tape can be cleaned using a line brush. And while it may be more demanding physically, clay is the least harsh of surfaces it protects the joints and limits the risk of injury, making it ideal for any level of player, from the top pro down to the earnest amateur. All the rest is "I feel, I think". Clay courts cannot be maintained with your standard cleaning and maintenance tools. Firstly you need to measure the total area you need. The bottom layer is crushed gravel. Obviously, it's much better to play on freshly swept clay courts. Leaves, twigs, grass clippings, etc. Water, roll, drag surface and sweep lines of clay courts. Once all this has been completed you should add another layer of clay just in case there are any slight issues or imperfections with the surface. How to slide on clay, by Jim Courier, Justine Henin and Jim Courier. Clay is great but bad clay courts aren't. Water the court to keep it firm and stable, providing proper traction for the players. They are considered by many to be the purest form of tennis. Once everything is complete, you should brush, water and roll more often during the first week to keep the surface firm. The middle layer is coal. The most important part is that sport courts need a solid, stable base made of the finest asphalt mix or the most durable concrete. The traction on clay can remain adequate for as much as half an hour in light precipitation; the lines become slippery, but they're narrow and visible enough to be reasonably easy to avoid. Hard courts get very dangerous when just slightly wet, and grass is worse. The more common red clay courts are popular in Europe and Latin America. Its best to water after brushing, and only for short periods so the clay can absorb the moisture. Plus, they don't need any additional preparing for the season. Sliding makes tennis so much more fun. Har-tru gray clay is overall easier on the joints as long as there is good footing and you know how to slide. To be a great clay-court player you must control all zones of the court. i love playing on clay while i was @ spain. The width of the tennis court varies depending on the game variant. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lv5uRXtNtNw, http://www.sportsinjurybulletin.com/archive/tennis-injuries.htm#. There are two main types of sweepers; one for doing the main clay surface, and a line sweeper to go over the lines. You should also check if the water table is too high. Courts 1 and 2 are side-by-side. So, they're labour and cost saving and can be kept open all the time. For a recreational court, the minimum recommended size is 114 x 60, but as the ball bounces higher on clay, youd be better off conforming to the minimum international specifications which is 120 x 60. It depends on the type of clay youre using, and where youre based, but on average a clay tennis court will probably cost around $45,000. Synthetic grass ,Clay or Loam surfaces (4-6 x RAPID APPLICATION). that gave me a opportunity to learn how to slide. Latin America is another of clays natural homes. Clay tennis court construction. Talbot Tennis has been one of Georgias Southeast States leading tennis court construction and maintenance companies since we built our first courts in 1976. This type of court is known for its slower playing surface, which is caused by a few factors. Its essential to have the strength and balance to slide into the shot, drive through contact and maintain balance to ensure good recovery. Minor cracking, bird baths, and other imperfections can typically be addressed at this time. JUNIOR HIGH TENNIS. A clay court is one of the types of tennis court on which the sport of tennis, originally known as "lawn tennis", is played.Clay courts are made of crushed stone, brick, shale, or other unbound mineral aggregate depending on the tournament.. In case you have a clay court, you will have to water it twice a day if it is an outdoor court. The nail head must not be smooth as it could present a slipping hazard. No two projects are exactly the same so there will always be some variation in . In this blog post, we will discuss how to build a clay tennis court, from start to finish. Measure everything out correctly, including the service boxes and tramlines. Clay tennis courts are meant to be slightly wet when played on, so they should be fine to play on in the rain. This material should be at least six inches thick and should extend beyond the boundaries of the tennis court. We offer maintenance packages that help keep clay tennis courts at their best. These . Clean up any spills immediately using a soft bristle brush and mild detergent solution. You might want to apply an algaecide to the surface to prevent any mold or algae building up over time. 1 of 4. If the court already seems moist, this can be skipped. The Aussie tennis court sweeper is maintenance-free and comes with a three-year warranty. You should resurface a clay tennis court every few years, but it depends how often the court is used, and how well it has been maintained. May 4, 2014 Updated May 6, 2014. Whatever the schedule, it should be designed to provide the court with enough water to keep it playing well until the next watering cycle. Check out our tips for keeping your court in top condition: Maintaining a clay court involves brushing, rolling, and watering the surface. I've been playing in both NA and Europe. Physical conditioning is crucial on clay because the points tend to be longer than on other surfaces and the best players on clay are often the fittest players., Tennis365: How should you structure points on clay? In dry climates and indoor courts, ball fuzz and dirt/dust should be removed to prevent slippery conditions. Clay court tennis is a mixed bag. Research has shown that sweeping a clay court from the outside in, in ever-decreasing, rectangular passes distributes the clay more evenly, and reduces clay drift to the fences and net. Above this, there is a layer of stone screening which helps to retain moisture and keep the court slightly moist which is ideal for clay court tennis. First, we lay the foundation - asphalt or concrete. Z Pereira Lopes: It is much harder to finish points quickly on clay, whether its with the serve or ground strokes. Clay courts are more common in Continental Europe and Latin America than in . 2 In millimiters, the thin layer of red clay on the surface. 1.1 In tons, the quantity of red clay used to build a court, and this figure increases to 1.5 for the Philippe-Chatrier court, which is bigger. You only need to do this at the start of a match (if you want it) and not every time. Only allow proper shoes for court sports. 4 Tips for Choosing Your Perfect Pickleball Paddle, 4225 JVL Industrial Park Drive Suite 504 Marietta, GA 30066, Guide to Having a Tennis Court Installed in Your Backyard. Clean Up Begins: Clubhouse is Gutted, Hard Courts Cleared, Admin Area: Online Registrations, Payments & Files. However, clay court maintenance is a little trickier than most. When the clay is slightly moist to touch, then its the ideal time to start rolling the surface. This will ensure you get more longevity from the playing surface before you have to replace the clay altogether. For example, when you look at #13, which is aces, you will see the percentage is 57.2%. In truth, there's not a huge amount of clay involved. The clay tennis court maintenance equipment to have on hand includes: A lute to break up hard-pan areas and spread new material A drag broom to give a finished look A line broom for clearing clay off the lines A line scrubber for stubborn clay A court rake for the perimeter to stop algae formation The clay-court season is in full swing and for many aspiring players around the world, conquering on the red stuff will always be the ultimate challenge. You can do this with a ladder or anything with a long straight edge. The earth is covered with a total of five layers each around 80 centimetres in depth: the first is made up of stones, followed by gravel, clinker (volcanic residue), limestone and finally a thin layer of crushed brick about two millimetres thick, giving the courts their ochre hue. Then you can add the top layer of clay, which should be watered, rolled and compacted. Keep in mind that different types of clay courts may have different needs. Clay courts consist of a combination of crushed brick, shale, stone and other aggregates. That means that of everyone that won their match, 57.2% of the time the match winner also performed better than the match loser in hitting more aces. Yes. Clay tennis court surfaces need very little in terms of tennis court maintenance. But I really don't like them, and I'm wondering if my experiences are shared, or if I'm just playing at garbage clubs. WATCH THIS MOVIEof how to brush the court after use.