Why You Need to Water the Court | Konglungen Tennisklubb

Why You Need to Water the Court

A clay court is a little like a small red planet. Without water, the surface slowly begins to drift away grain by grain, until the court changes from smooth clay into a dusty moonscape.

Dry and a Lot of Wind

Several kilograms of precious tennis clay can blow off the court if it is not watered. Early in the season, especially in April and May, there is often both wind and very little rain.

Each spring we place around one tonne of new clay on the court. Without regular watering, much of that material can simply disappear into the air like a tiny red sandstorm. Keeping the court properly watered helps us keep maintenance costs low and continue offering affordable court fees.

Dry Court Surface

If you play on a court that is too dry, holes and uneven areas quickly develop. The result is balls bouncing in strange directions and a court that becomes much less pleasant to play on.

Once the season is underway, these areas are difficult to repair properly. A few minutes of watering before play saves many hours of work later.

When, Where and How

When is the court dry? When the clay becomes pale and light in colour instead of deep dark red.
Should we water before or after play? Always before play.
How much should we water? Water both halves of the court until the water tanks are empty.