Modern Tennis Surfaces and Their Impact on Play

By Will Brown Contributor Updated: 14 March 2025

Will Brown Contributor

William Brown is a Content Writer with strong expertise in US and global gambling industry trends. Having covered the local sports betting market since the repeal of PASPA in 2018, William approaches his gambling guides with passion and diligence. He is a keen player of online slots, blackjack, and a regular sports bettor.

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Tennis Court Surfaces

Since the invention of tennis, courts have continued to develop in terms of their material construction. There are currently four primary tennis surfaces utilized, each with varied characteristics that impact how the game is played. Furthermore, new surface materials are being developed that will harness the latest in technology and sustainable design. In this guide, we’ve looked at the evolution of the tennis court, the applications of different surfaces, and the pros and cons of each.

An Intro: What Tennis Surface is Tennis Played On?

To provide some context on the different types of tennis courts, we’ve begun this guide with a brief history of the sport. As you will learn, the variation of court surfaces has long been a part of tennis tradition and remains a fundamental part of international competitions.

We’ve then looked at the four primary court surface materials: grass, clay, hard, and artificial. In each section, we’ve provided examples of famous courts that utilize these materials and their differences. To round out this guide, we’ve covered the future of court surfaces.

• The History of Tennis Courts
• Grass Court Surfaces
• Clay Court Surfaces
• Hard Court Surfaces
• Artificial Court Surfaces
• Future Court Surfaces

Tennis History and the Early Types of Tennis Courts

The origins of tennis can be traced back to the 12th century in France, with a game that saw players hit a ball against a wall. Called “jeu de paume”, or the game of the palm, the sport evolved over the centuries to include a wooden racquet. By the 16th century, the sport was widely played by European royalty in purpose-built indoor courts.

This early form of tennis, which is called “real tennis” or “court tennis” today, was played on hard surfaces such as wood or stone. While this predecessor of modern tennis thrived well into the 18th century, its popularity soon dwindled due to its elitist nature and indoor setting.

It is believed that the invention of the lawn mower in 1830 in England played a major role in the growth of “lawn tennis”, with players now able to play on outdoor grass courts. This new game also was accessible to both genders, with male and female competitions remaining a fundamental element of the sport today.

By 1877, the rectangular dimensions of the Wimbledon court became the standard size that remains for courts today. As the new sport set codified rules, it spread across the globe, with different geographical locations requiring alternative surface materials. In fact, when tennis was first played at the inaugural 1896 Olympics in Athens, it was played on clay.

When modern bettors bet on tennis matches today, the surface that is being played on can be worth researching. This is because, as we will cover in the upcoming sections, some players excel on certain tennis surfaces more than others.

Grass Tennis Courts

As the original tennis court material for the modern version of the game, grass courts are tied to the sport’s earliest traditions. Initially, “lawn tennis” was played on the finely manicured lawns of Victorian-era estates. These provided the basis for the first Wimbledon Championship court in 1877.

Compared to the harder surfaces of “court tennis”, grass courts allow for fast, low bounces that force quicker reactions from players. Grass courts are favorable to aggressive serve-and-volley players, encouraging athletes to deal powerful serves and rapid attacks to the net. The low bounce also tends to lead to shorter rallies and faster point-scoring.

To ensure durability, Wimbledon’s grass court is constructed using perennial ryegrass varieties, which are laid on a foundation of gravel and stone and drainable soil layers. This process requires daily maintenance, with lawns cut to a precise eight millimeters during tournaments. Therefore, maintenance costs for a single court cost tens of thousands of dollars per year.

Although grass courts are not as common, they remain appealing due to their traditional place in the sport. The grass surface has become a major part of the history and tradition of Wimbledon. What’s loved about grass is that it also produce faster-paced games, with serve speeds up to 5% faster and rallies shorter than on alternative materials. In addition to Wimbledon, other famous grass courts include the Queen’s Club in London and the Gerry Weber Stadion in Halle, Germany.

Famous players who have proven to specialize on grass courts include Pete Sampras, Roger Federer, Nick Kyrgios, and Martina Navratilova. The players’ strong serves and fast reflexes helped them to capitalize on the unique characteristics of grass.

Clay Tennis Courts

The first clay court was built in 1880 as a matter of necessity. After discovering their grass court in Cannes, France, couldn’t withstand the summer sun, brothers William and Ernest Renshaw lay a layer of terracotta powder over the lawn. This method became popular, with powdered brick soon becoming the standard clay material.

Clay was used to surface the court in the first French Open was held at Roland Garros in 1891, where it remains the surface material today. Modern European clay courts consist of several layers, including a base of crushed stone, limestone or brick dust, and topped with a thin layer of loose red clay. In America, green clay is used for the top layer.

Clay courts are known for producing high, slow bounces, which gives players more time to make their shots and, in turn, create longer rallies. Clay courts benefit from their lower maintenance requirements and, on red clay particularly, greater visibility of the ball. They’re also less stressful on athlete’s joints and hold up in wet weather.

In addition to the Roland Garros Stadium, renowned clay courts include the Monte Carlo Country Club and Frick Park in Pittsburgh. Players who have proven adept at the slower, higher form of play required on clay types of tennis courts include Rafael Nadal, Björn Borg, and Chris Evert.

Hard Tennis Courts

To answer the question of what surface is tennis played on the most, the clear front-runner is hard courts. Although early forms of tennis were played on hard surfaces, it wasn’t until later in the 20th century that they regained legitimacy in the modern era.

The biggest change came in 1978 when the US Open transitioned from grass then, briefly, clay courts, to hard surfaces. These courts used multiple layers of materials such as concrete or asphalt, synthetic cushioning, and acrylic top coats. There are also variations in terms of what hard tennis surfaces are constructed of.

While the US Open’s Laykold surfaces consist of materials such as rubber, silica, and acrylic resin, the Australian Open’s blue GreenSet surfaces use acrylic resin and silica on a cushioned base. These differences impact the bounce and speed of play, with GreenSet rated medium fast and Laykold rated medium slow.

They can also be refined for friction and bounce by adjusting the formulas of their ingredients. Hard courts are durable and easy to maintain and accommodate various playing styles due to their middle-grounding between clay and grass surfaces. As for the downsides, the harder surfaces can be harder on athletes’ joints and can reach hotter temperatures.

Those that mastered the hard court include names such as Novak Djokovic, Andre Agassi, and Serena Williams. These names feature heavily when it came to winning the U.S. Open and lifting countless trophies in minor competitions.

Artifical Tennis Surfaces

Artificial tennis surfaces have become standard for indoor games, which grew in popularity in the 1960s and 1970s. The materials vary widely and include carpet, synthetic grass, and rubber-based materials. They also often include acrylic recipes that are similar to hard courts but refined for indoor conditions.

One of the benefits of artificial court surfaces is that they are easy to install, with some allowing for temporary modular installation in venues that weren’t purpose-built for tennis. They also allow for more precise control of game conditions, are particularly durable, and are consistent under controlled weather and lighting conditions.

Not all players are a fan of these materials though, with some opposed to their artificial feel, their sensitivity to temperature and humidity fluctuations, and the potential for friction burns. While these artificial surfaces are no longer used for any major ATP Tour tournaments, they are still regularly used in ATP Challenger Tour events.

The Future of Tennis Courts

The question of what surface is tennis played on in the future is set to be impacted by several factors, including sustainability goals and technological advancements. With clay and grass courts requiring significant environmental resources, there is speculation that newer surfaces made from recycled materials such as plastic, rubber, and tires will become more prominent.

The question of grass vs clay vs hard court surfaces may one day become redundant, with newer synthetic materials allowing for greater climate adaptability, shock absorption, and durability. With changes to court surfaces being constant over the sport’s long history, we expect the next generation of courts to embrace the latest advances in manufacturing, engineering, and technology.