Types of Surfaces

Types of Surfaces in Tennis

There are three main types of court surfaces in tennis. Hard court, clay, and grass. All three kinds of courts play differently. Hard court is by far the most common and is likely the kind of court at your local club. Hard courts are made from concrete or asphalt. Of the courts, hard courts are the most average, meaning they are not the fastest or slowest courts to play on (referring to the speed of the ball bouncing off the court). Clay is the slowest surface to play on, because you are playing on fine dirt that slows the ball down and causes the ball to bounce higher. Grass is the fastest to play on, because the ball skids off the grass and stays very low off the bounce. This visual should help you understand!