Tennis Court Surfaces

The Andy Murray effect: tennis court surfaces for an enhanced game

We’ve loved him, we’ve wept with him and we’ve followed his highs and lows – but now Andy Murray has finally done it. After achieving gold medal glory at London2012, the famously dour tennis star made British history this Autumn by claiming the first British Grand Slam victory since Fred Perry in 1936. Murray is now championing investment into tennis – and rightly so. Enjoyed by millions worldwide, it’s a particularly popular sport for all ages in the UK, and today’s game is undoubtedly enhanced by the advanced performance of modern tennis court surfaces.

Clubs, schools and private facilities across the country offer tennis courts. We’re also seeing more and more tennis court construction UK-wide in domestic homes. The key to installing tennis court surfaces lies in choosing the right equipment for your circumstances and level of play – so read on to get to grips with what’s involved.

Tennis court surfaces for competitive play

If you’re looking at tennis court surfaces or tennis court resurfacing for a competitive play facility then it’s important that you follow the right guidelines. Professional tennis court surfaces are subject to exact dimensions and layouts to ensure the game is played correctly. The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), the Sports & Play Construction Association (SAPCA) and the International Tennis Federation (ITF) all provide this information online, but reputable tennis court installers should also be able to guide you on how to interpret these regulations.

Exacting specifications are important in professional and competitive tennis. All Weather Asphalt tennis court surfaces are a good choice favoured by international courts – but many professional players still maintain there’s nothing better for feel and performance than a clay court.

The snag with clay courts is that they can be difficult to manage in the UK’s unpredictable weather. In response, Desso have developed Grand Slam Clay tennis court surfaces – designed to give the optimum performance professional and competitive players expect, but with very little maintenance and excellent drainage to maintain the court’s performance even in wet weather.

Tennis court surfaces that adapt to multi-use

If you’re bringing in tennis court installers to work on a MUGA you need to consider multi-purpose usage and adaptability. ETC Tennis Playmac is a popular choice for amateur tennis courts. However facilities where tennis court surfaces need to be able to handle other sports tend to favour the ETC Multi Playmac option. That’s because it offers the medium speed performance amateur tennis players require,but is also durable enough to cope with multi-sports applications and heavy use.

The surface life of the Multi-Playmac can be further enhanced by finishing your tennis court surfaces with an acrylic coating in a rich variety of colours. You’re looking at a life span of 10-12 years with this surface – so it’s a cost-effective, low maintenance choice that’s ideal for MUGA facilities.

Tennis court surfaces for private use

A tennis court is a value adding feature in any home. A popular choice for private usage is the Artificial Sand-Filled Carpet. There is a wide range of pile and tuft densities available for different levels of play and personal preferences, plus these tennis court surfaces can adapt to different usage, enabling you to make the most out of your court by playing other sports as well.

Needle punched or acrylic surfaces are also great choices offering a life span of up to 14 years when maintained correctly. However take care to check with your tennis court installers that your surface is up to coping with weather conditions – as this family of tennis court surfaces includes some non-porous options that would not be able to cope with wet weather use.

If you’re looking for tennis court builders who can help you to refine these choices further and make the right decisions for your tennis court then ETC Sports Surfaces Limited can help. Our experience covers councils, clubs, schools and private clients and we work with some of the most reliable and prestigious suppliers of tennis court surfaces in the UK. Just get in touch, use our online tennis court designer or consult our guide to maintaining your tennis court surfaces to start you on the road to your ideal facility.