Requirements for tennis courts
When creating a tennis court for the preparation of athletes of international level, it is necessary to take into account the requirements of the ITF. In accordance with international standards, the size of the court should be 23.77 meters long, 8.23 meters wide in the case of a single game and 10.97 meters in the case of a doubles. The width of the back runs for matches should be at least 6.4 meters, for training – 5 meters. The races on the sides of the court should be at least 3.6 meters wide to ensure comfortable movement of service and medical personnel. These are the basic parameters for preparing the court area, on which the coating will be laid in the future.
The main types and features of coverings for tennis courts
Grass lawn. They provide the lowest and fastest bounce of the ball and are suitable for playing in the style of Serve and Volley (serve, after which the player quickly goes to the net). The disadvantages of such a court include changeable characteristics due to the state of the grass and the complexity of the game due to additional irregularities in the soil. By the way, it is on the lawn court that the Wimbledon tournament takes place.
Dirt court. It is created from a mixture of clay, sand, brick and stone chips with polymers (most often – rubber and plastic chips). The dirt court gives the slowest, but at the same time high bounce of the ball, and is most suitable for playing with long draws and sliding techniques on the court at the moment of impact. The French Open usually takes place on clay courts.
Hard coating. Refers to a fast type of court with a reduced bounce rate compared to grass, made of concrete or asphalt with a synthetic coating. The Australian and US Open Championships are held on the hard surface.
Carpeting. A solid type of court with a variable bounce rate of the ball (depending on the thickness and structure of the coating) and an average pace of play. They are most often used in indoor stadiums.
The main equipment of tennis courts and features of its operation
Grid. Completely covers the space between the posts and has a cell size smaller than the diameter of the ball. The width of the upper mesh strip should be up to 6.35 cm, the width of the central belt – 5 cm. The height of the grid in the center should be 91.4 cm.
Racks and posts for the grid. The cross-section of the racks should not exceed 7.5 cm in diameter or 7.5 centimeters square. The cross-section of the posts for fixing the mesh should not exceed 15 cm in diameter.
The judicial tower. The height of the seating arrangement should be 1.8-2 meters from the surface of the court.
Fencing and bleachers. Required for tournament venues.
