8 The number of people needed to prepare a court. We offer maintenance packages that help keep clay tennis courts at their best. Clay tennis court surfaces need very little in terms of tennis court maintenance. There are two main types of sweepers; one for doing the main clay surface, and a line sweeper to go over the lines. 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. The French Open Grand Slam, for example, is played on red clay courts. After watering your sprinkler irrigated Har-Tru (clay) court, roll the court as needed. Walk behind rotary equipment is best suited. Z Pereira Lopes: Grip is everything when trying to stand up on a slippery clay court. I simply cant move on the damn courts and peeling out or stopping is problematic. Daily and periodic maintenance keeps your court in optimal playing condition. I've been playing in both NA and Europe. This helps compact the clay and reduce erosion. 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! They are generally more common in Spain, France and throughout continental Europe, where as other surface types are more prevalent in the UK and USA. Once the base course is in place, install the clay surface. This version is 8 feet in width. However, if all this sounds like a lot, Talbot Tennis is happy to help. 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. Obviously, it's much better to play on freshly swept clay courts. Clay court tennis is a mixed bag. 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? Apply the line tape, ensuring you fasten the corners down with nails where there is some overlap. 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. For moderate use, if the clay court has a sub-surface irrigation system, youll only need to roll the court once per month. Ugly Christmas Sweater Winners and Thank You!! A typical clay-court match lasts much longer than a match played on a hard or grass court. Bryan Reese is the long-term head coach of Bartlesville varsity tennis. 2022 - all rights reserved "This is one of the highest places the junior high tennis boys have placed in several years," said Bartlesville coach . The width of the tennis court varies depending on the game variant. I've been playing in clay in Europe and the HarTru in the states for over 40yrs.just the opposite. 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. Laying Lines - Install new line tapes. Its also a good idea to brush a clay tennis court before rolling as that can make it clearer which parts of the surface have been rolled or not. Watering and rolling should be done another 2-3 times before marking out the court, and installing the lines, net posts and net. 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. Otherwise, it is best left until a full recoating to avoid a patchy, blotchy appearance of the surfacing. Rafael Nadals dominance on the surface over the last decade has highlighted the benefits of growing up on clay courts, with the Spanish master aiming to win a remarkable 11th title on the Roland Garros clay when the French Open gets underway on May 27th. Clay courts are more common in Continental Europe and Latin America than in . In fact, if you have some basic construction knowledge, you can easily build one yourself. Contact Us - Privacy Policy - Affiliate Disclaimer, http://courtauthority.10-s.com/how-to-lay-new-lines-on-a-clay-tennis-court.html. If it rains too much though, playing on them can often damage the courts quite badly, so your club may encourage you to . 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? It's important you stay on top of this from the get go and treat the area with a bleach and water mix every so often. It is far easier to be born and bred on red dirt and learn your trade on it as a youngster those who manage to turn themselves into dirtballers are certainly a rare breed. Water, roll, drag surface and sweep lines of clay courts. Playing on clay is also great for your body, as youre less likely to pick up injuries than on grass or hard courts. Please consult your Har Tru representative for advice, planning, and budgets. Measure everything out correctly, including the service boxes and tramlines. The drag net with a rope handle is only used for clearing away leaves and debris, NOT for regular court sweeping. ClayTech does not require much in terms of reconditioning. For the main sweep, make sure you do it everywhere including the playing area, the back of the court and close to the net. It lessens the loosening between the top and base dramatically. Twenty-two-time slam winner is unvaccinated. For ease of mixing, here is an example of the tennis court cleaning solution: 10 gallons of bleach in a 55-gallon drum. Always do a small test area first to avoid discoloration of the surface. These tools will help keep an optimal amount of loose sliding material on the surface. We recommend keeping the court filled to the top of the membrane to prevent accelerated wear. But points on clay are nice and slow and long but easy on the body if you learn to not fight against it. Brushing can also dry the court if it has just recently been watered. Daniil Medvedev has enjoyed having his daughter with him on tour. In comparison, the doubles court is slightly larger. Keep court tapes, nets, fences and gates in good condition. In this blog post, we will discuss how to build a clay tennis court, from start to finish. Spray or pour onto the tennis court surface and use a soft brush scrubber on desired areas. In order to keep the playing surface in great shape, clay tennis courts need be rolled with a special rolling machine. A different floor makes for a different game than the one played on grass or synthetic surfaces. The material is added to the court and leveled according to specifications. A clay court is generally made of crushed shale stone or brick and other unbound mineral aggregate. Please call or email contact form and we will be happy to assist you. Use some chalk lines as a guide so when you apply the tape it will be in a straight line. As the ball gets above shoulder height it is tougher to generate power and control the ball. Z Pereira Lopes: Sure. Tennis365: What are the key fitness tips for playing on clay? Then you can add the top layer of clay, which should be watered, rolled and compacted. Clay tennis courts can cost anywhere between $30,000 and $75,000. Be sure to compact the material as you go. This means that you will need to remove all of the topsoil and debris from the site. Clay tennis courts are made of different combinations of crushed stones, gravel, and bricks. 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. The lines should be inspected and painted or refreshed as necessary. They are mostly made of packed crushed . 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. For resurfacing, you need to clean the court thoroughly first, ensuring all mold and algae has been removed. Cleaning Remove the tapes and all leaves and debris and lightly scrape court to remove oversized particles. Youll also become fitter due the longer rallies, so your overall stamina and endurance will improve. 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. This is the preferred size by the United States Tennis Association (USTA,) and the American Sports Builders Association (ASBA) recommended size for a standard size tennis court. During a tennis match the clay infill is displaced, drag brushing the court redistribute the. Z Pereira Lopes: This is the surface that Rafa grew up on. 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. 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. A picture is worth 1,000 words: Or, how about a video: Upcoming Events There are no upcoming events. You have to also roll when the clay has the right amount of moisture. The reconditioning process includes four segments: cleaning, leveling, top dressing, and laying lines. Invented by us in 1989, it is constructed from quality UV stabilized materials and is highly durable. Absolute rubbish!!!! 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. However, clay court maintenance is a little trickier than most. These routines can take as little as 10 minutes a day and involve three things: brushing, watering, and rolling. Yes, of a documented injury on clay, so far. You want to pick an area which is not too close to trees as the roots could cause problems under the surface, and make sure the court faces north or south, so the sun wont disturb you as much when you play. Sweep the surface regularly. This video covers the proper. During each match, crews rake the surface and sweep clay off of the lines at the end of each set. Personnel using backpack blowers should not lean against fabric windscreens, curtains, or padding as heat from the exhaust will cause damage. The middle layer is coal. Large structural cracks, distorted planarity, or more severe issues may require additional reconstruction. I grew up with clay and I love it. Clay tennis courts are meant to be slightly wet when played on, so they should be fine to play on in the rain. Clay tennis courts offer a number of benefits, including the following: Building a clay tennis court is not as difficult as it may seem. So before you play you've got to nurse it a little. A brother one year older. Rolling a court will make it firmer and faster. There are a number of reasons why clay is a great surface for tennis. Periodic maintenance on a Har-Tru court addresses court changes that occur over time. Ideally, clay courts should be watered and swept twice per day, which almost never happens. 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. Clay courts. Doing this will avoid any long term damage to the court surface. Blows sidewalks, empties trash from court and facility receptacles. Leaves, twigs, grass clippings, etc. You should also check if the water table is too high. Z Pereira Lopes : Legs and core are the foundation for every shot. The reconditioning process includes four segments: cleaning, leveling, top dressing, and laying lines. The Renshaw Brothers, back in 1880 in Cannes, apparently used powdered terra cotta to cover grass courts that were wilting in the heat. Finally, clay courts dry quicker than other surfaces so after a spot of rain, you can be playing again after just 15-20 minutes. No matter what type of tennis court you choose for your facility, regular maintenance is essential. You should be brush and water the courts every day. Two players walk on the court and have an even chance of attaining victory. Nothing better than decent har-tru courts. Laying Lines Install new line tapes. Har Tru can recommend local installation professionals to provide the best services. Be sure to leave a flat surface for the court to be built on. Avoid sharp turns and take special care when going over the lines. If anyone has any questions about clay I am willing to help. I don't know anyone over the age of 40 that wouldn't prefer to play on clay - but there aren't a lot of clay (or har-tru) courts out there anymore. It should happen every two or four weeks. . In truth, there's not a huge amount of clay involved. Brush to redistribute the top dressing that has come loose due to wind or play. 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. ^^ This is particularly true for older players (I'm 47). Sweep a clay court before and when playing, so that you redistribute the dressing material and you remove step marks. Check the court for areas containing mildew or mold. For springtime opening and occasional cleaning, pressure washing is recommended with certain cautions. A clay tennis court is a type of tennis surface that is made up of crushed brick, stone, or shale. Dad Racket was created exclusively as a one-stop resource to answer all your tennis questions. The accompanying chart shows the path followed which attempts to minimize the distance traveled. Talbot Tennis has been one of Georgias Southeast States leading tennis court construction and maintenance companies since we built our first courts in 1976. 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. Z Pereira Lopes: I would say one to two metres behind the base line due to the high bounce of kick top spin serves. You should use white fabric tape or plastic which nails down into the clay. Lastly, Court 7 is by itself and Court 8 is by itself. You only need to do this at the start of a match (if you want it) and not every time. Does wetting it 'firm' the clay a little? 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. 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. Clay Tennis Courts. This reduces the velocity of the shot, making it easier to return. What is the standard size of a regulation size tennis court? Along with everything else in 2020, tennis has had to adapt in the face of COVID-19. After a rain event remove standing water as soon as possible. The best clay court shoes have herringbone soles. 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. Tennis court construction is a highly specialized field, so it's important to find a contractor with extensive experience. Recoating with a new Har Tru Sports Coatings system is recommended every 4-7 years depending on use and environment. Aussie Clean Sweeps are in use throughout the world by court owners who are thrilled with the results. 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. It also helps improve moisture retention and court drying time. Leveling - Scrape down high areas (such as where the lines were) and patch low areas. Water the court to keep it firm and stable, providing proper traction for the players.