A hardcourt (or hard court) is a surface or floor on which a sport is played, most usually in reference to
tennis court
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 doubles and singles matches. A variety of surfaces can be ...
s. It is typically made of rigid materials such as
asphalt
Asphalt, also known as bitumen (, ), is a sticky, black, highly viscous liquid or semi-solid form of petroleum. It may be found in natural deposits or may be a refined product, and is classed as a pitch. Before the 20th century, the term ...
or
concrete
Concrete is a composite material composed of fine and coarse aggregate bonded together with a fluid cement (cement paste) that hardens (cures) over time. Concrete is the second-most-used substance in the world after water, and is the most wid ...
, and covered with
acrylic resin
186 px, Polyhydroxyethylmethacrylate is a typical acrylate resin.
An acrylic resin is a thermoplastic or thermosetting plastic substance typically derived from acrylic acid, methacrylic acid and acrylate monomers such as butyl acrylate and or ...
s to seal the surface and mark the playing lines, while providing some cushioning.
Historically, hardwood surfaces were also in use in indoor settings, similar to an indoor
basketball court
In basketball, the basketball court is the playing surface, consisting of a rectangular floor, with baskets at each end. Indoor basketball courts are almost always made of polished wood, usually maple, with -high rims on each basket. Outdoor su ...
, but these surfaces are rare now.
Tennis
Tennis hard courts are made of synthetic/acrylic layers on top of a concrete or asphalt foundation and can vary in color. These courts tend to play medium-fast to fast because there is little energy absorption by the court, as with
grass court
A grass court is one of the four different types of tennis court on which the sport of tennis, originally known as "lawn tennis", is played. Grass courts are made of grasses in different compositions depending on the tournament.
Although grass c ...
s but unlike
clay court
A clay court is one of the types of tennis court on which the sport of tennis, originally known as "lawn tennis", is played. Clay courts are made of crushed stone, brick, shale, or other unbound mineral aggregate depending on the tournament.
T ...
s.
The ball tends to bounce high and players are able to apply many types of spin during play. Flat balls are favored on hard courts because of the extremely quick play style. Speed of rebound after tennis balls bounce on hard courts is determined by how much sand is in the synthetic/acrylic layer placed on top of the asphalt foundation. More sand will result in a slower bounce due to more friction.
Of the
Grand Slam tournaments, the
US Open and
Australian Open
The Australian Open is a tennis tournament held annually at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia. The tournament is the first of the four Grand Slam tennis events held each year, preceding the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Ope ...
currently use hard courts, and it is the predominant surface type used on the professional tour.
Maintenance
There are numerous hardcourt maintenance methods which are commonly used to keep these facilities in top condition. Some of these include brushing, pressure washing with a cleaning solution and applying chemical treatments to prevent the growth of moss and algae. Anti-slip paint is also applied to hardcourts to give better playing qualities which enhance player safety and performance.
Prominent brands
Some prominent brands of hardcourt surfaces used at professional tournaments include:
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DecoTurf
DecoTurf is a brand of tennis hardcourt constructed from layers of acrylic resin, rubber, silica, and other materials on top of an asphalt or concrete base. It is manufactured by the sports surfaces division of California Products Corporation ...
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GreenSet
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Laykold
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Plexicushion
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Rebound Ace
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SportMaster Sport Surfaces
See also
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Clay court
A clay court is one of the types of tennis court on which the sport of tennis, originally known as "lawn tennis", is played. Clay courts are made of crushed stone, brick, shale, or other unbound mineral aggregate depending on the tournament.
T ...
*
Carpet court
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Grass court
A grass court is one of the four different types of tennis court on which the sport of tennis, originally known as "lawn tennis", is played. Grass courts are made of grasses in different compositions depending on the tournament.
Although grass c ...
References
External links
DECONSTRUCTING THE HARD COURT Head.com, Simon Cambers, August 29, 2017.
Greatest Hard Court Players in the History of Tennis JA Allen, August 10, 2012.
Tennis: Hard courts are hardest on the body - Nadal Reuters, Rory Carroll, September 4, 2017.
Sliding On Tennis' Hard Courts Inspires Awe, Poses Risks Inside Science, Chris Gorski, August 27, 2013.
FedEx Performance Zone: 2017 Hard-Court Records ATP World Tour, ATP Staff, August 23, 2017.
Concrete Jungle: WTA Insider Hard Court Power Rankings WTA Tennis, Courtney Nguyen, July 27, 2017.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hardcourt
Tennis court surfaces
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fr:Surfaces de jeu au tennis#Dur