Here in the U.S., high school matches are almost always played on hard courts. So, now that the season is behind these players, some will be fortunate enough to train and compete on clay. If you have never played on clay, you owe it to yourself to vacation where clay courts are available, or if you are a bit daring, you might sign-in for a tournament played on this wonderful surface. There are enough clay courts in this country that if you really search for one, you will probably be successful. So, this month, I am dedicating the column to playing on clay.
Red clay is composed of crushed brick that is spread on top of a natural base.
Red clay courts in the U.S are truly red because the bricks in the U.S. are red. Yet, despite the color difference, red and orange clay courts play very similarly. Har-Tru courts are usually placed on top of a natural base. Sometimes, these green clay courts are automatically watered by underground systems. To help these courts retain moisture, calcium is periodically placed on the court.