How to Maintain a Clay Tennis Court

For many people, of the different tennis Grand Slams every year, the French Open is the most exciting.

The French Open is a major tournament held on clay surfaces, which is one of the main reasons why so many people enjoy it so much. If you’ve never played on clay before, it’s very different to grass and hard courts.

Back in 1880, in Cannes during the hot summer months, two tennis-playing brothers named William and Ernest Renshaw grew sick and tired of their grass tennis courts dying in the fierce sunshine. Using surplus powdered terra cotta from the nearby town, they coated the grass in the red clay dust to protect it from the sunshine and preserve it. This idea proved so popular, that today one of the world’s biggest tennis tournaments takes place on a clay surface every single year.

Maintaining clay, however, is very different to maintaining grass, as you’re about to find out.

Clay Court Composition

Whereas the world’s first clay court is believed to have simply been grass coated in crushed terra cotta pots, the clay courts we see nowadays are very different.

They feature 5 different layers. The first is a layer of stones for drainage. The next is a layer of gravel, followed by a layer of volcanic coal residue known as clinker. Up next comes a layer of crushed limestone before finally, you have a thin layer of red brick dust roughly 2mm thick.

How to Maintain a Clay Tennis Court

As you can see, clay courts are not the same as grass courts, and subsequently they require a great deal of care and maintenance.

Here’s a brief look at how to maintain a clay tennis court.

Brush Daily

The most common aspect of clay tennis court maintenance is daily brushing.

As mentioned, the surface of a clay court consists of brick dust. Despite being fairly compact, in the wind, and during bouts of play, the dust can become loose. Brushing the surface will help to redistribute the clay brick dust evenly.

Water Daily

Despite clay courts being very different to grass, one thing they do have in common is the fact that they too need watering.

Clay courts usually receive water twice per day. This is to help provide grip and traction for the players, while also helping the clay to stay in place.

After each match, the court will usually receive a light watering. At the end of the day however, they will receive a heavy watering. If it has rained, or if the clay is already damp, watering can be skipped.

Roll the Court

Using a specially designed roller, grounds workers will roll the surface of the court. This helps to make the clay firmer and more compact. It also helps make the surface faster and prevents excess loose top dressing material from coming away.

This process can usually be carried out every other day, assuming the court is already in a good state of repair.

General Maintenance

As well as regular maintenance each day/each other day, you also need to maintain clay courts in general. What does this mean? Basically, it means observing the court and taking care of any irregularities or issues, before they become more troublesome.

Things such as leveling out the surface will be carried out, making sure the surface is even, removing any loose debris or trip hazards, filling in gaps or holes, and so on.

New Top Dressing

Each year, at the end of the playing season, the court in general should receive a thorough maintenance check. During this period, new dressing will be added, and any minor repair work needed will be carried out.