Only after this can you start constructing your tennis court. 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. Bryan Reese is the long-term head coach of Bartlesville varsity tennis. A court with a sub surface irrigation system will last longer than one which is watered with a sprinkler system. 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. 2 In millimiters, the thin layer of red clay on the surface. However, if you try when it is too wet, you can easily damage the surface. Watering should take place as needed to keep court conditions optimal. Clay courts are considered to be the most challenging and demanding surfaces for tennis players. Brushing: Brushing helps redistribute the top dressing material across the court surface. The easiest place to hit a tennis ball is between the hips and shoulders. Top Dressing Add new HAR-TRUat a rate of two tons per court. The loose top dressing is moved around the court to even out the playing surface. Thank you for proving me wrong. Also avoid spraying the water too hard, which can cause the courts to erode. From a financial point of view, watering the courts regularly keeps the surface in better condition for longer, so you wont have to resurface the clay as often. 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! Periodic maintenance on a Har-Tru court addresses court changes that occur over time. As I said above, I love clay courts and they are the only surface I play now. Re-using tapes is acceptable if the . In case you have a clay court, you will have to water it twice a day if it is an outdoor court. Watering: HydroCourt and HyQ Courts water automatically as needed. Grooming keeps the surface loose and free of debris, while watering maintains a compact, consistent playing surface. 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.. Brush to redistribute the top dressing that has come loose due to wind or play. Then you can add the top layer of clay, which should be watered, rolled and compacted. The use of clay courts is more common in Europe than in North America. These should include scarification to prevent and eliminate growth and to prevent and reduce hardening of the court surface, adding Coarse Blend to maintain optimum traction, and the clearing of drainage channels. 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. 3 oz of detergent (Simple Green) Fill drum to the top with water and mix well. Keep court tapes, nets, fences and gates in good condition. Since then, technology has obviously developed but the concept remains the same. Being able to finish a match physically strong can be the difference between winning and losing. Rolling a court will make it firmer and faster. In comparison, the doubles court is slightly larger. Sweep each half of the court, including the back (between baseline and fence), using the clay drag-mat in the following pattern: Use this brush to sweep the lines clear. This should be a two-inch layer of crushed brick, stone, or shale. Ideally, clay courts should be watered and swept twice per day, which almost never happens. There are a number of reasons why clay is a great surface for tennis. Laying Lines - Install new line tapes. No matter what type of tennis court you choose for your facility, regular maintenance is essential. Water, roll, drag surface and sweep lines of clay courts. The Aussie Clean Sweep-Gen 2 is available now! Finally, clay courts dry quicker than other surfaces so after a spot of rain, you can be playing again after just 15-20 minutes. It is suitable for all court surfaces such as Synthetic Grass, Red Porous, Clay, Asphalt, Fast Dry, Grass, Plexi Pave, Loam etc. You can do this with a ladder or anything with a long straight edge. that gave me a opportunity to learn how to slide. 100 The number of people responsible for maintaining the courts during the qualifying rounds and the tournament. Z Pereira Lopes: Polyester strings are the best option. I grew up with clay and I love it. Hard courts get very dangerous when just slightly wet, and grass is worse. WATCH THIS MOVIEof how to brush the court after use. If a clay court is what your facility needs, here is what youll need to do to keep it in top shape. Minor cracking, bird baths, and other imperfections can typically be addressed at this time. 7-10 In centimeters, the thickness of the limestone layer under the red clay. If you play singles, it is 27 ft. Leveling - Scrape down high areas (such as where the lines were) and patch low areas. In order to keep the playing surface in great shape, clay tennis courts need be rolled with a special rolling machine. Composition of a clay court at Roland-Garros 1- Red brick dust: 1 - 2 mm 2- Crushed white limestone: 6 - 7 cm 3- Clinker (coal residue): 7 - 8 cm 4- Crushed gravel: at least 30 cm 5- Drain A different floor makes for a different game than the one played on grass or synthetic surfaces. Hard courts suck, just parking lots as someone said above. Winter Championship 22/23 - Report score & Rules, Club Tennis Sessions - roll up & organised, Tuesday Night - Match Practice - Captains invite only, Saturday Adv Beginners Social Tennis Doubles, Sunday Beginner/Adv Beginner/rusty racquets/improvers Social Tennis Doubles, Thursday Night Lwr Intermediates/intermediate+ Doubles Clinic Coaching, Saturday Advanced Beginners Group Coaching, Social Friendly Interclub Tennis Matches, Players must allow at least 10 minutes before the end of their session to sweep the courts in a timely manner for the next court booking, Club sessions: If nobody is waiting for your court when you finish play then it is your job to sweep it, lock the gate and return the key, Pick leaves/debris up before sweeping or playing and place in the black leaf bins provided, Heavy rain and very icy conditions: do not sweep the court. 3) then it is watered. If you're under 35 and play 10 hours a week (which is still a lot), playing on hard courts isn't a big deal - your joints and tendons are still like lubed-up rubber bands at that age. A higher bouncing clay court exposes a players ability to play the ball above shoulder height., Tennis365: How important is patience when you are playing on this surface? Blow debris and dust from surface of hard courts. The difference between a well maintained clay court and a poorly maintained one is night and day. It also helps prevent too much loose top dressing material from building up on the court surface. What is the standard size of a regulation size tennis court? Leveling Scrape down high areas (such as where the lines were) and patch low areas. Consequently the clay court season, normally between April and June each year, has been in September as professional players prepare themselves for the final grand slam of the year at Roland Garros. Clay courts are more common in Continental Europe and Latin America than in . Like other says, it depends how well the clay court is taken care off. Clay tennis courts are made of different combinations of crushed stones, gravel, and bricks. JUNIOR HIGH TENNIS. But, the bottom line is that bad bounces are a part of the clay court game. Clay court tennis is a mixed bag. This will ensure you get more longevity from the playing surface before you have to replace the clay altogether. 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. At the French Open, the biggest clay-court event of the lot, red brick dust, crushed white limestone, a coal residue called 'clonker' and crushed gravel are combined to make the red clay surface so well known in Paris and . But now I really like it. Patching cracks or other damaged areas may be performed if safety is an issue. There are two types of clay courts commonly found. Obviously, it's much better to play on freshly swept clay courts. You mist find sidewalks daunting. Keep in mind that different types of clay courts may have different needs. Now youre ready to add the new clay, but you should use a laser grade to distribute the clay evenly from the low end to the high end ensuring there is a slight slope to help with drainage. Red dirt is slower, which makes for a brand of tennis which is less direct and more tactical a veritable game of chess, where a certain shot can lead to a conclusion four or five "moves" later. At 46 I still play 3 hours per day on hard court in July and on clay in August. Clay is great but bad clay courts aren't. 1) the court is swept with a net-like device that's sort of like a giant broom to smoothen and distribute evenly the loose top level clay. Clay has the benefit of a lower-speed bounce which can be great for slower gameplay and those who don't want the high speeds of hard surfaces like concrete. Doing this will avoid any long term damage to the court surface. Unfortunately we won't be able to come out and provide the maintenance. 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. Clay tennis courts offer a number of benefits, including the following: Building a clay tennis court is not as difficult as it may seem. US Open chiefs have joined Indian Wells and Miami organisasers by making a public call for Djokovic to be allowed to play in America. Set the nozzle to a medium-fine spray and gently water the courts. There are number of layers that make up a clay tennis court, but it also depends what type of clay court you want to build. The accompanying chart shows the path followed which attempts to minimize the distance traveled. After a rain event remove standing water as soon as possible. Because the . The most satisfying job in the world? The importance of tennis court maintenance cannot be overstated. Brush the lines to make them visible and less slippery. Clay Tennis Courts. What we now know as 'clay' is actually made up of a number of different substances. Talbot Tennis has been one of Georgias Southeast States leading tennis court construction and maintenance companies since we built our first courts in 1976. I've been playing in clay in Europe and the HarTru in the states for over 40yrs.just the opposite. Unless it rains extremely heavily, the clay can soak up a lot of the water and the court will still be playable. Courts 5 and 6 are on a still lower level, side-by-side. I do believe the good folks at the HarTru Corporation have some pretty good data they use to support switching to their clay products from hard. This is usually measure by placing a U.S. nickel in the center of the puddle, and if the water . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lv5uRXtNtNw, http://www.sportsinjurybulletin.com/archive/tennis-injuries.htm#. 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. I've been playing in both NA and Europe. DAILY UPKEEP REQUIRES PLAYERS TO SWEEP THE COURT AFTER PLAY ANNUAL MAINTENANCE REQUIRES NOT MORE THAN ADDING 2-3 BAGS OF . To create the best clay courts, you need to be equipped with the best tools possible, and with this Match Liner Court Line Sweeper, top-quality is something it has in abundance. The rigors of play on your Har-Tru clay tennis court require that you complete maintenance routines to ensure that your court remains in top playing shape. Two players walk on the court and have an even chance of attaining victory. However, going deeper underneath there is a layer of crushed limestone, a layer of coal residue, some crushed gravel, and some stones at the bottom, just above the soil. 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. Daniil Medvedev had plenty to say about Stefanos Tsitsipas disrespect towards Andrey Rublev. Leveling Scrape down high areas (such as where the lines were) and patch low areas. Blows sidewalks, empties trash from court and facility receptacles. A hour after a rain, or flooding the court, any area where standing water is measured at 1/16 (2mm) is in need of patching. 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. In truth, there's not a huge amount of clay involved. Clean debris from the surface. Walk behind rotary equipment is best suited. I love being able to slide into my shots and recover quicker on the clay. We do less work at season close (unless you count building the rink) and at the season opening we can concentrate more on the topcoat. 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. Jack Cullen. 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. Once everything is measured, you should bore to a level of at least 4. Please call or email contact form and we will be happy to assist you. The French Open uses clay courts, the only Grand Slam tournament to do so. "This is one of the highest places the junior high tennis boys have placed in several years," said Bartlesville coach . This helps with drainage and prevents the court from sinking or moving over time. Youll also become fitter due the longer rallies, so your overall stamina and endurance will improve. They are considered by many to be the purest form of tennis. 2) the lines are swept clean with a small broom. All those seams, cracks, god forbid there is any dirt or litter. Americans Sweep 12s Titles at Junior Orange Bowl. Only allow proper shoes for court sports. i love playing on clay while i was @ spain. ^^ This is particularly true for older players (I'm 47). At Roland Garros, there are 5 layers! Yes, of a documented injury on clay, so far. The most important part is that sport courts need a solid, stable base made of the finest asphalt mix or the most durable concrete. 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. 8 The number of people needed to prepare a court. Will leave your clay courts looking pristine . When the clay is slightly moist to touch, then its the ideal time to start rolling the surface. Two: Lay Out the Court Dimensions This arrangement lends itself to a very intimate setting and a sense of privacy when playing. In this article, lets take a look at how to make a clay tennis court, including setting up solid foundations and drainage underneath, to installing the right surface and ensuring its properly maintained. Sometimes even just blacktop. This reduces the velocity of the shot, making it easier to return. Costs to Build an Artificial Clay Tennis Court. The drag net with a rope handle is only used for clearing away leaves and debris, NOT for regular court sweeping. At most facilities watering is done overnight and once during the middle of the day. Check the court for areas containing mildew or mold. I both love and hate. Clay courts allow tennis players to slide, which means they can play for as long and as often as they like without overstressing the knees, back and lower extremities. 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. Over summer it can get very hot here ( Australia) and the court requires a lot of water. The cost to build a clay tennis court is about $60,000 to $90,000. 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. The featured image in this article is the thumbnail of the embedded video. Thanks this is interesting. The reconditioning process includes four segments: cleaning, leveling, top dressing, and laying lines. Learned to play on HC so preference to play my best game there. They are much easier on the body--especially as I get older. You should use white fabric tape or plastic which nails down into the clay. "In the accompanying tennis court diagram, the intersection of lines or of lines and the net are denoted by numbers in a circle. Originally the use of clay was merely a practical consideration. During a tennis match the clay infill is displaced, drag brushing the court redistribute the. Clay courts normally dry quickly. There are basically three major types of court surfaces: Hard Courts, Grass Courts, and Clay Courts. :) In dry climates and indoor courts, ball fuzz and dirt/dust should be removed to prevent slippery conditions. Cleaning Remove the tapes and all leaves and debris and lightly scrape court to remove oversized particles. 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. Not sure where to post this question. This type of court is known for its slower playing surface, which is caused by a few factors. For springtime opening and occasional cleaning, pressure washing is recommended with certain cautions. Artificial clay tennis court maintenance made easy. The clay tennis court maintenance equipment to have on hand includes: Maintenance for clay tennis courts can be broken down into three categories: daily, periodic, and annual. Bartlesville's junior high tennis team started off the season with an historically strong showing at the Ponca Qualifiers. Whatever the schedule, it should be designed to provide the court with enough water to keep it playing well until the next watering cycle. This will give you a bit more space at the back of the court to return any heavy topspin shots which will kick up off the clay. The bottom layer is crushed gravel. In German it's just called sand, and if the courts aren't well maintained they do play like beach-tennis. Once youve measured and checked the area carefully, its time to start building. Laying Lines Install new line tapes. You do not get sure footing on clay. Tennis365: What are the keys shots on a clay court? You must log in or register to reply here. Use on surfaces such as Synthetic Turf, Porous Clay, Loam, Gravel, Plexi-Pave, Rebound Ace, Asphalt, Fast Dry, etc. Thanks for your interest in Har-Tru. For moderate use, if the clay court has a sub-surface irrigation system, youll only need to roll the court once per month. Novak Djokovic has enjoyed a sparkling start to 2023, but his first defeat against Daniil Medvedev answered plenty of questions. Tennis courts need to be surrounded in fencing to prevent balls leaving the court. Belgium, Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Romania and even Sweden have similarly deep-seated affinities with the red dirt. Otherwise, it is best left until a full recoating to avoid a patchy, blotchy appearance of the surfacing. The middle layer is coal. Fdration Franaise de Tennis, Morning: the courts are uncovered and swept, During the matches, between every set: courts are swept, line are brushed. This has worked especially well in his matches against Roger Federer on this surface., The Campus at Quinta do Lago is the new home of tennis in Portugals Algarve. Brushing can also dry the court if it has just recently been watered. We have received your request. 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. They offer more bounce than other surfaces, but they also require more maintenance. Subsequent rolling can be done as needed to achieve desired playing conditions but is not typically required for HydroCourt or HyQ Courts. Once the excavation is complete, use a level to lay out the court dimensions. To be a great clay-court player you must control all zones of the court. At the end of each round of play, use the drag broom to remove visible scuff marks. The tennis court must be built in a single plane with a maximum fall of 1 :100 (1 :120 preferred) On sloping sites, additional space will be needed around the tennis . 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. For example, when you look at #13, which is aces, you will see the percentage is 57.2%. Clay hater. . The Aussie tennis court sweeper is maintenance-free and comes with a three-year warranty. No sports, knees are fine. Always do a small test area first to avoid discoloration of the surface. In this blog post, we will discuss how to build a clay tennis court, from start to finish. Avoid over watering and forming puddles on the court. If the court is at optimal compaction, this can be done every other day. Be sure to compact the material as you go. Clay courts. You should also check if the water table is too high. VAMOS Rafa Redhill Tennis Club So, they're labour and cost saving and can be kept open all the time. How to sweep a clay tennis court Watch on This article was gathered automatically by our news bot. Concrete, Rebound Ace and other hard surfaces (3-4 x RAPID APPLICATION). COURT SWEEPING PROTOCOL Players must allow at least 10 minutes before the end of their session to sweep the courts in a timely manner for the next court booking Club sessions: If nobody is waiting for your court when you finish play then it is your job to sweep it, lock the gate and return the key You should roll in a straight line going forwards and then back. Two squeegees per court are recommended to get you back to play as soon as possible. To discover The Campus for yourself, visit https://www.quintadolago.com/en/the-campus/ #TheCampusQDL, Follow Kevin Palmer on Twitter @RealKevinPalmer. Insert nails into the line tape and into the ground, but leave them sticking out slightly. For algae growth pressure washing may be used in conjunction with a bleach solution approved by the EPA for outdoor use. Latin America is another of clays natural homes. You only need to do this at the start of a match (if you want it) and not every time. by Colette Lewis, 21 December 2018. Then brush over the whole surface, water sufficiently, and roll over the surface. The first thing you need to do is to keep the tennis court surface free from, loose grit, debris and dirt. You should level, brush, water and roll again. The Aussie Clean Sweep is a friction sweeper designed to quickly and easily clean, groom and sweep your tennis court, sports field, bowling green, or golf green. Aussie Clean Sweeps are in use throughout the world by court owners who are thrilled with the results. Download the Har-Tru MantenanceManual here. Z Pereira Lopes: It is much harder to finish points quickly on clay, whether its with the serve or ground strokes. At the end of every match, the crew waters the entire court to help the brick retain its color and . Along with everything else in 2020, tennis has had to adapt in the face of COVID-19. We are your tennis court contractors. For the main sweep, make sure you do it everywhere including the playing area, the back of the court and close to the net. We recommend keeping the court filled to the top of the membrane to prevent accelerated wear. Typically its cheaper to install if youre using a Har-Tru court, costing about 5-10% less than a hard court, and you only need about 10 minutes or so a day to maintain it. Tennis365 caught up with Z Pereira Lopes, Tennis Director and Head Tennis Professional of The Campus tennis academy in Quinta do Lago, to get the rundown of how to succeed on clay courts, as he hinted preparation is an important application on the court. Recoating with a new Har Tru Sports Coatings system is recommended every 4-7 years depending on use and environment. 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.