tips for playing on different court surfaces

by: Mike Sprouse/TennisCT

Many of us will have the joy of watching tennis be played at the highest levels this summer on a variety of court surfaces, namely red clay, har-tru, grass and varying hard (cement or cement-like) surfaces. Watching the French Open for instance, one can plainly see that the court looks different. But what else about red clay makes it play so differently? What is it about that surface that suits Rafa Nadal’s game so well? The same questions exist whether watching Wimbledon, the US Open or indoor events later in the year. The court surface has a lot to do with what happens in a tennis match.

Red Clay court.jpg

For the rest of us, if you have the opportunity to play on different court surfaces, we highly recommend it. Why? Because the game changes quite a bit depending on the court. In other words, the courts don’t just look different, they play different too. It’s a lot of fun to experience the same exact sport in different ways.

Of course, there’s something to playing on familiar courts with familiar surfaces. Playing in different conditions can be intimidating. Which is why we’re giving you insight and tips to help you the next time you’re on a different type of court!

Red Clay: The slowest of the surfaces because the ball "grabs” due to the texture of the clay. It is slippery, which is also beneficial for sliding on the court to retrieve shots. Points tend to be longer because the ball speed is slower on this surface, and it is tougher to put shots away or hit aces on serve. Favors a baseliner who likes to defend, retrieve shots and keep points going. Because the ball grabs when it hits the court, the ball also tends to bounce higher favoring players who like to hit shoulder-high shots with Western or Topspin grips.

  • Secret weapon shot for red clay: short, angled shot with heavy topspin (movement by your opponent to retrieve this shot can be tricky)

Grass court.jpg

Grass: The surface which keeps the ball lowest due to the dampening effect the grass has on the ball. Have you ever walked out into your backyard and tried to bounce a tennis ball? The ball tends not to bounce very high. The same thing happens on a court. Also, given the slippery nature of grass, the ball tends to “skid” favoring players who like to slice the ball low and are comfortable playing against a low-spinning slice. It also favors players who like to hit with Eastern grips who are able to play low or knee-high shots effectively. Because of how quickly the ball moves through the court, grass favors good servers, baseliners who hit the ball flat or with a lot of power, and it also assists with net play. Heavy topspin is not as effective on grass as it is on clay.

  • Secret weapon shot for grass: drop shot (a softly-hit ball basically falls dead on the grass when it lands making it difficult for your opponent to get to in under two bounces)

Decoturf/Hard Courts: One of the more popular surfaces for ATP/WTA tour players, as much of the summer circuit of tournaments in the United States is played on this surface. The ball bounces very true on this surface, much like if you were to walk out on a cement driveway and bounce a ball. The difference between pure concrete and the hard surfaces tennis courts are made out of is that there is a slight cushion or “give” to them. There are also ways to vary the speed of the hard surface; sometimes, it could be a “fast” hard court or a “slow” hard court. It depends on a few variables and the way the court was constructed. Because the ball bounces true, it doesn’t favor any particular type of player. If the court is considered “slow”, it will be more like clay in terms of ball speed; if “fast”, it will be more like grass in terms of ball speed.

  • Secret weapon shot on hard courts: into-the-body shots (on serve especially. The ball comes at your opponent quickly making it more difficult for them to get out of the way)

Har-Tru (Green Clay): One would think this surface would be just like red clay - only green. That is not the case. Har-Tru tends to be more slippery than red clay, and tougher to plant your feet and change directions when moving. It is slower than hard courts or grass courts, but quicker than red clay. The same benefits apply on Har-Tru in terms of ball bounce - because of the texture of the clay, it will tend to “grab” the ball making the ball jump higher than usual. It, too, favors players who like to hit shoulder-high shots with Western or Semi-Western grips.

  • Secret weapon shot on har-tru: hitting behind someone during a rally (because of how difficult it is for your opponent to change direction quickly)