Editing Tennis court

{{short description|Type of sports venue}}
{{about|the sports venue|other uses}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2014}}
[[Image:universityofbath indoor tennis courts arp.jpg|thumb|right|Indoor tennis courts at the [[TeamBath|University of Bath]], England]]

A '''tennis court''' is the venue where the sport of [[tennis]] is played. It is a firm rectangular surface with a low net stretched across the centre. The same surface can be used to play both [[Types of tennis match|doubles and singles]] matches. A variety of surfaces can be used to create a tennis court, each with its own characteristics which affect the playing style of the game.

==Dimensions==
[[File:Tennis court imperial.svg|thumb|The dimensions of a tennis court.]]
The dimensions of a tennis court are defined and regulated by the [[International Tennis Federation]] (ITF) governing body and are written down in the annual 'Rules of Tennis' document.<ref name="ITF Rules of Tennis">{{cite web|title=ITF Rules of Tennis|url=http://itf.uberflip.com/i/428396-2015-rules-of-tennis-english/0|publisher=ITF}}</ref>  The court is {{convert|78|ft|m|2|abbr=on}} long. Its width is {{convert|27|ft|m|2|abbr=on}} for singles matches and {{convert|36|ft|m|2|abbr=on}} for doubles matches.<ref name="Rule 1 – The Court">{{cite web|url=http://itf.uberflip.com/i/428396-2015-rules-of-tennis-english/5|title=Rule 1 – The Court|publisher=[[International Tennis Federation]]|access-date=29 May 2015}}</ref> The [[Service line (tennis)|service line]] is {{convert|21|ft|m|2|abbr=on}} from the net.<ref name="Rule 1 – The Court"/> Additional clear space around the court is needed in order for players to reach overrun balls for a total of {{convert|60|ft|m|abbr=on}} wide and {{convert|120|ft|m|abbr=on}} long. A net is stretched across the full width of the court, parallel with the [[Glossary of tennis terms#Baseline|baselines]], dividing it into two equal ends. The net is {{convert|3|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on}} high at the posts, and {{convert|3|ft|m|3|abbr=on}} high in the center.<ref>[http://library.thinkquest.org/C0125827/tennis.htm Rules of tennis] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081206102855/http://library.thinkquest.org/C0125827/tennis.htm |date=6 December 2008 }}</ref> The net posts are {{convert|3|ft|m|3|abbr=on}} outside the doubles court on each side or, for a singles net, {{convert|3|ft|m|3|abbr=on}} outside the singles court on each side.

Based on the standard rules of tennis, the size of the court is measured to the ''outside'' of the respective baselines and [[sidelines]]. The "service" lines ("T" and the "service" line) are centered. The ball must completely miss the line to be considered "out". This also means that the width of the line (except for the center service line) is irrelevant to play. The center service line is {{convert|2|in|cm|0|abbr=on}}, the other lines are between {{convert|1|and|2|in|cm|0|abbr=on}} wide, whereas the baseline may be up to {{convert|4|in|cm|0|abbr=on}} wide.<ref name="ITF Rules of Tennis"/>

===Smaller courts===
The ITF's Play and Stay campaign promotes playing on smaller courts with slower red, orange, and green balls for younger children. This gives children more time and control so they can serve, rally, and score from the first lesson on courts that are sized to fit their bodies. The ITF has mandated that official competition for children aged 10 years and under should be played on "Orange" courts {{convert|18|m|ft|abbr=on}} long by {{convert|6.4|m|ft|abbr=on}} wide. Competition for children under 8 years is played on "Red" courts that are {{convert|11|m|ft|abbr=on}} long and {{convert|5.5|m|ft|abbr=on}} wide. The net is always 0.8 m high in the center.<ref name=playstay>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tennisplayandstay.com/home.aspx|title=Play+Stay – Home|website=www.tennisplayandstay.com}}</ref>

==Surfaces==
[[File:Petäjävesi - tennis court.jpg|thumb|Tennis court in [[Petäjävesi]], Finland]]
Tennis is played on a variety of surfaces and each surface has its own characteristics which affect the playing style of the game. There are four main types of courts depending on the materials used for the court surface: [[clay court|clay]] courts, [[hardcourt|hard]] courts, [[Grass court|grass]] courts and [[carpet court]]s. The [[International Tennis Federation]] (ITF) lists different surfaces and properties and classifies surfaces into one of five pace settings:<ref>{{cite web |title=Classified Surfaces |url=https://www.itftennis.com/en/about-us/tennis-tech/classified-surfaces/ |publisher=[[International Tennis Federation]] (ITF) |access-date=2020-09-07}}</ref>

* Category 1 (slow)
* Category 2 (medium-slow)
* Category 3 (medium)
* Category 4 (medium-fast)
* Category 5 (fast)

Of the current four [[Grand Slam (tennis)|Grand Slam]] tournaments, the [[Australian Open|Australian]] and [[US Open (tennis)|US Open]] use hard courts, the [[French Open]] is played on clay, and [[The Championships, Wimbledon|Wimbledon]], the only Grand Slam to have always been played on the same surface, is played on grass. The Australian Open switched from grass to hard courts in 1988 and in its early years the French championship alternated between clay and sand/rubble courts. The US Open is the only major to have been played on three surfaces; it was played on grass from its inception until 1974, green clay from 1975 until 1977 and hard courts since it moved from the [[West Side Tennis Club]] to the [[Billie Jean King National Tennis Center|National Tennis Center]] in 1978.

ITF uses the following classification for tennis court surface types:<ref>{{cite web |title=ITF Surface Types |url=https://www.itftennis.com/media/2169/surfaces-surface-types.pdf |publisher=[[International Tennis Federation]] (ITF) |access-date=2020-09-07}}</ref>

{|class="sortable wikitable" 
|-bgcolor=
|width="60"|'''Surface code'''
|width="100"|'''Type'''
|width="450"|'''Description'''
|-
|A
|[[Acrylic resin|Acrylic]]
|Textured, pigmented, resin-bound coating
|- 
|B
|Artificial clay
|Synthetic surface with the appearance of clay
|- 
|C
|[[Artificial turf|Artificial grass]]
|Synthetic surface with the appearance of natural grass
|- 
|D
|[[Asphalt concrete|Asphalt]]
|[[Bitumen]]-bound aggregate
|- 
|E
|[[Carpet court|Carpet]]
|Textile or polymeric material supplied in rolls or sheets of finished product
|- 
|F
|[[Clay court|Clay]]
|Unbound mineral aggregate
|- 
|G
|[[Concrete]]
|Cement-bound aggregate
|- 
|H
|[[Grass court|Grass]]
|Natural grass grown from seed
|- 
|J
|Other
|E.g. modular systems (tiles), wood, canvas
|}

===Clay courts===
{{Main|Clay court}}
[[File:ND DN 2006FO.jpg|thumbnail|The [[French Open]] is played on clay courts.]]
Clay courts are made of crushed shale, stone or brick.<ref name="ITF Surfaces"/> The French Open is the only Grand Slam tournament still played on clay; the courts there are made from crushed red brick (known commonly as "European clay", or ''terre battue'' in France).<ref>{{cite web |title=L’histoire de la terre battue |url=https://terrebattue.org/histoire-de-la-terre-battue/ |website=terrebattue.org |access-date=2 February 2025 |language=French}}</ref> 

[[File:4 types of clay tennis court.jpg|right|thumb|Clay courts can come in many colors. Clockwise from top-left: red, green ([[Clay court#Green clay|HarTru]]), blue, gray]]
Clay courts slow down the ball and produce a high bounce in comparison to grass or hard courts, taking away many of the advantages of big serves.<ref name="ITF Surfaces"/> For this reason, the clay court heavily favors baseline players, as it is hard for attacking [[serve-and-volley]] players to dominate on the surface. Clay courts are cheaper to construct than other types of tennis courts, but a clay surface costs more to maintain. Clay courts need to be rolled to preserve flatness. The clay's water content must be balanced; green clay courts (see below) are generally required to be sloped to allow water run-off.

Clay courts are more common in Europe and Latin America than in North America. The clay courts that do exist in the United States tend to be made of [[Clay court#Green clay|green clay]], which consists of crushed basalt; they are usually known by their brand name, HarTru. A "maroon" form of clay, advertized as "American red clay", is also used at the [[U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships]] in Houston, Texas. Clay courts with a top dressing of burnt shale – which makes the surface grittier and allows for faster play – can be found in Britain, especially in northern England and Scotland (where they are known as "blaes" courts). More esoteric clay-like surfaces, meanwhile, still exist in rural Australia ('antbed' courts, made out of compacted termite mounds and/or loam), India (animal dung) and the Philippines (crushed sea-shells).<ref>{{cite web |author1=Michael Sexton |title=Almanac Tennis: Ant bed nation – why Australian tennis owes the termite |url=https://www.footyalmanac.com.au/almanac-tennis-ant-bed-nation-why-australian-tennis-owes-the-termite/ |website=The Footy Almanac |access-date=25 October 2024 |date=9 March 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Shell Tennis Courts |url=https://manilasouthwoods.com/index.php/facilities/30-sports-club/79-shell-tennis-courts |website=The Manila Southwoods Golf and Country Club |access-date=2 February 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Walker |first1=Randy |title=Grass? Ant Bed? Dung? What Kind of Tennis Court Will John, Patrick McEnroe Play On In Tanzania? |url=https://worldtennismagazine.com/grass-ant-bed-dung-what-kind-of-tennis-court-will-john-patrick-mcenroe-play-on-in-tanzania/21873 |website=World Tennis |access-date=2 February 2025 |date=2 April 2023}}</ref>

Historically for the [[Grand Slam (tennis)|Grand Slams]] clay courts have been used at the [[French Open]] since 1891 and the [[US Open (tennis)|US Open]] from 1975 to 1977 (on green clay).

===Grass courts===
{{Main|Grass court}}
[[File:London - Wimbledon - 3065.jpg|thumb|right|Grass court maintenance at [[The Championships, Wimbledon|Wimbledon]]]]
Grass courts are the fastest type of courts in common use.<ref name="ITF Surfaces"/> They consist of grass grown on very hard-packed soil, which adds additional variables: bounces depend on how healthy the grass is, how recently it has been mowed, and the wear and tear of recent play.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tennis court Dimensions |date=9 April 2024 |url=https://sportsfista.com/tennis-court-dimensions/ |access-date=16 August 2024}}</ref> [[point (tennis)|Point]]s are usually very quick where fast, low bounces keep rallies short, and the [[serve (tennis)|serve]] plays a more important role than on other surfaces. Grass courts thus tend to favour serve-and-volley tennis players.

Grass courts were once among the most common tennis surfaces, but are now rare due to high maintenance costs, as they must be watered and mown often, and take a longer time to dry after rain than hard courts.

Historically for the [[Grand Slam (tennis)|Grand Slams]] grass courts have been used at [[The Championships, Wimbledon|Wimbledon]] since 1877, the [[US Open (tennis)|US Open]] from 1881 to 1974, and the [[Australian Open]] from 1905 to 1987.

===Hard courts===
{{Main|Hardcourt}}
[[File:RoofCourt.jpg|thumb|right|Rooftop tennis hardcourts in Downtown [[Singapore]]]]
Hard courts are made of uniform rigid material, often covered with an [[acrylic resin|acrylic]] surface layer<ref name="ITF Surfaces"/> to offer greater consistency of bounce than other outdoor surfaces.<ref name="Hard Courts Make Tennis Champions">{{cite news|title=Hard Courts Make Tennis Champions|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1912/11/03/100597217.pdf|newspaper=The New York Times|date=3 November 1912}}</ref> Hard courts can vary in speed, though they are faster than clay but not as fast as grass courts. The quantity of sand added to the paint can greatly affect the rate at which the ball slows down.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://notfound.iopw.com/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716210537/http://www.tennisuniversal.com/Data/product_search_res.asp?SearchCateg=050206&ProductCateg=0500&SubCateg1=0502&SubCateg2=050206This|url-status=dead|title=Document|archivedate=16 July 2011|website=notfound.iopw.com}}</ref> As well as acrylic, asphalt and concrete are also examples of hard court surfaces.

The [[US Open (tennis)|US Open]] is played on [[Laykold]] while the [[Australian Open]] is played on [[GreenSet]], both acrylic-topped hard court surfaces.

Historically for the [[Grand Slam (tennis)|Grand Slams]] hard courts have been used at the US Open since 1978 and the Australian Open since 1988.

===Carpet courts===
{{Main|Carpet court}}
[[File:Field club tennis courts in central old part of Nicosia Republic of Cyprus.jpg|thumb|Artificial turf tennis courts in [[Nicosia]], [[Cyprus]]]]
"Carpet" in tennis means any removable court covering.<ref name="ITF Surfaces">{{cite web |url=http://www.itftennis.com/technical/facilities/facilities-guide/surface-descriptions.aspx |title=Surface Descriptions |website=itftennis.com |publisher=International Tennis Federation |access-date=2020-09-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181129131325/http://www.itftennis.com/technical/facilities/facilities-guide/surface-descriptions.aspx |archive-date=2018-11-29}}</ref> Indoor arenas store rolls of rubber-backed court surfacing and install it temporarily for tennis events, but they are not in use any more for professional events. A short [[pile (textile)|piled]] form of [[artificial turf]] infilled with sand is used for some outdoor courts, particularly in Asia. Carpet is generally a fast surface, faster than hardcourt, with low bounce.<ref name="ITF Surfaces"/>

Notable tennis tournaments previously held on carpet courts were the [[WCT Finals]], [[Paris Masters]], [[U.S. Pro Indoor]] and [[Kremlin Cup]]. Since 2009, their use has been discontinued on the top tier of the ATP. [[ATP Challenger Tour]] tournaments such as the [[Trofeo Città di Brescia]] still use carpet courts. The WTA Tour's last carpet court event, the [[WTA International tournaments|International]]-level [[Tournoi de Québec]], was discontinued after 2018.

==Indoor courts==
Some tennis courts are indoors, which allows play regardless of weather conditions and is more comfortable for spectators.

Different court surfaces have been used indoors. Hard courts are most common indoors, as they are the easiest to install and maintain. If the installation is permanent, they are constructed on an asphalt or concrete base, as with outdoor courts. Temporary indoor hard courts are typically constructed using wooden floor panels topped with acrylic which are installed over the venue's standard floor. This is the system used for modern indoor professional events such as the [[ATP Finals]].

Clay courts can be installed indoors with subsurface watering systems to keep the clay from drying out, and have been used for [[Davis Cup]] matches.

Carpet courts were once the most prominent of indoor surfaces, especially in temporary venues, but have largely been replaced by removable hard courts. They were used on both the [[ATP World Tour]] and [[World Championship Tennis]] circuits, though no events currently use them.

Historically, other surfaces have been used indoors such as [[wood court]]s at the defunct [[World Covered Court Championships]] and [[London Indoor Professional Championships]].

The conclusion of the [[Wimbledon Championships]], in 2012, was played on the lawn of [[Centre Court]] under the closed roof and artificial lights; the [[Halle Open]] has also seen a number of matches played on its grass court in the [[Gerry Weber Stadion]] with the roof closed. These, however, are outdoor venues with retractable roofs.

==Gallery==
Below are photographs of a number of different surfaces, each featuring their relevant ITF surface code:
<gallery>
File:HPIM2532.JPG|Code A: Acrylic ([[DecoTurf]])
File:GreenSet Cushion - Olympic Tennis Rio 2016.jpg|Code A: Acrylic ([[GreenSet]])
File:New colors.jpg|Code A: Acrylic ([[Laykold]])
File:Australian Open 2010 Quarterfinals Nadal Vs Murray 20.jpg|Code A: Acrylic ([[Plexicushion]])
File:Ausopen margaret court arena medium.jpg|Code A: Acrylic ([[Rebound Ace]])
File:Tennis courts (geograph 7558513).jpg|Code B: Artificial clay
File:Firbank Dale Tennis Club, Newport - geograph.org.uk - 1737726.jpg|Code C: Artificial grass
File:Pavilion and Avenue Tennis Club - geograph.org.uk - 1556486.jpg|Code C: Artificial grass
File:Hampden Park Tennis Courts - geograph.org.uk - 5815484.jpg|Code D: Asphalt
File:Artificial Grass Tennis Courts at Coleshill Tennis and Sports Club - geograph.org.uk - 5914502.jpg|Code E: Carpet (outdoor; sand turf)
File:Korty power game.jpg|Code E: Carpet (indoor; textile)
File:Die Anlage des TC Altenstadt, Sommer.jpg|Code F: Clay (brick; i.e., ''terre battue'')
File:Tennis Courts, Kirkton Park - geograph.org.uk - 1306458.jpg|Code F: Clay (shale or "blaes")
File:Sanchai and Sonchat Ratiwatana Davis Cup vs PH.jpg|Code F: Clay (shell)
File:Maude Tennis Courts.JPG|Code F: Clay (antbed)
File:Tennis Match, Family Circle Cup 2008.JPG|Code F: Clay (green HarTru)
File:Eyzahut - Court de tennis (mai 2022).jpg|Code G: Concrete
File:Kingsholm Square Tennis Courts, Gloucester - geograph.org.uk - 31754.jpg|Code H: Grass
File:Tennis-Carpet-Tile.jpg|Code J: Tile
File:Indoors court at the Queen's club, England, before 1903.jpg|Code J: Wood (indoor)
</gallery>

==Terminology==
{{main|Glossary of tennis terms}}

Common tennis court terms:

* ''Advantage service box'' or ''ad court'': The receiver's left side service box, or the opponent's right for the server; significant as the receiving side for an advantage point.
* ''Alley'' or ''Tramlines'':<ref>{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/tennis/rules_and_equipment/4222680.stm | title=BBC Sports: Basic rules of tennis | date=12 September 2005 | access-date=24 June 2015}}</ref> The lanes on each side of the singles court. These are only used when playing doubles.
* ''Back court'': The area between the baseline and the service line.
* ''Baseline'': The rearmost line of the court, furthest from and parallel to the net.
* ''Center service line'': The line dividing the two service boxes on each side.
* ''Center mark'': The 4-inch mark at the halfway point of the baseline used to distinguish the two halves (and service boxes) of a tennis court.
* ''Deuce service box'' or ''deuce court'': The receiver's right side service box, or the opponent's left for the server, significant as the receiving side for a deuce point.
* ''Service box'': The area on each side bounded by the singles sideline, the service line, and the net. There are left and right service boxes, separated by the center service line.
* ''Service line'': The line that is parallel to the net and is located between the baseline and the net. It marks the end of the service boxes.
* ''Side T'': The T shape formed by the service line and the singles sideline. There are four such side Ts, two on each side of the net.
* ''T'' or ''Middle T'': The T shape formed by the service line and the center service line.

==See also==
{{Portal|Tennis}}
*[[List of tennis stadiums by capacity]]
*[[No-line court]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
*[http://www.itftennis.com/technical/facilities/guide/surfaces/construction.asp#acrylic International Tennis Federation (ITF) – Tennis court construction guidelines]

{{tennis box}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tennis Court}}
[[Category:Tennis|Court]]
[[Category:Tennis court surfaces| ]]
[[Category:Sports rules and regulations]]
[[Category:Sports venues by type]]
[[Category:Playing field surfaces]]