The decision has been made: you want a tennis court. What comes next? Often the answer is confusion. Suddenly, you are overwhelmed by the many decisions that face you. You need help defining your options and  making appropriate choices. We are here to help.
Lancelot Tennis specializes in asphalt court construction and resurfacing and has a long list of satisfied customers.

A hard court is one made of asphalt or concrete, usually covered with an acrylic coating. The coating  protects the court from the elements, enhances its appearance, and affects the playing characteristics of the court. Generally, a hard court yields what is known as a 'fast' game, meaning that a tennis ball bounces off the court surface at a low angle.

The speed and angle of the tennis ball coming off a bounce are determined  by the power and spin of the hit and are relatively unaffected by the surface of the court. This speed,  however, can be adjusted depending on the amount, type and size of sand used in the color coating.  "Slow" playing, textured surfaces are available. Properly installed, hard courts are generally considered to be durable and to require relatively low maintenance. Installation costs range from $19,000 - $42,000, depending upon the specific construction.

When a resilient layer (or layers) of cushioning material is applied over an asphalt or concrete court, a cushioned court results. Cushioned courts usually have excellent playing characteristics and an all-weather surface for year round play. These attributes make them popular with players but such courts are considerably more expensive than hard courts; cushioning adds $5,000 and up to the cost of the court, over and above the cost of the asphalt or concrete base.

Playing Lines:
The outside dimensions of the playing lines should be as follows:
Doubles 36' x 78' (10.97m x 23.77m)
Singles 27' x 78' (8.23m x 23.77m)
All lines should be not less than 1" (2.54 cm) nor more than 2" (5 cm) in width, except the base line which  may be up to 4" (10 cm) in width and the center line which should be 2" (5 cm) in width.
Clearance Between Courts
Where courts are constructed within the confines of a common enclosure, the distance between side lines should be not less than 12' (3.658m). Where space permits, it is desirable to provide additional space between side lines to enhance play; 24' (7.315m) is recommended.
Tennis Court Orientation:
A tennis court should be laid out to minimize players looking into the sun when serving or when following  the flight of a ball. A tennis court also should be laid out to avoid distracting shadow lines and patterns on the court surface.

Theoretically, the best possible layout would be to orient the longitudinal axis of the court perpendicular to the azimuth of the sun -- the angular measurement of the horizontal location of the sun in relation to true north. Since the azimuth of the sun constantly shifts according to the time of day, the season of the year and the latitude in which it is observed, it is difficult to generalize about an ideal orientation.
NOTE: It is important to remember that the orientation of the court should be in relation to true  north, not to magnetic north. The angular difference between true north and magnetic north is  referred to as the "deviation of magnetic north." This deviation changes according to the  geographic location. Information relating to the deviation of magnetic north from true north can be easily obtained from a local surveyor or airport facility.

Contact us for free advice and design services to ensure you are aware of all the cost savings available when designing and constructing a new tennis court.

Layout: (Standard Size Tennis Court: 60' x 120')