Maintaining My Tennis Court

August 14, 2020

One of my favorite warm-weather sports is tennis - I enjoy playing and watching matches. After purchasing my Bedford, New York farm, I had a HAR-TRU tennis court installed. I am fortunate to have a court right here at home, where my grandchildren, Jude and Truman, can play this wonderful game.

Yesterday, a team from Oval Tennis came by to do some maintenance on my court. Oval Tennis, Inc. was founded in 1971 and is a three-generation family-owned and operated business. The crew cleaned the court, applied calcium chloride and surfacing powder, measured and adjusted the net's height, and checked all the playing lines.

Here are some photos, enjoy.

: My tennis court is nestled in a far corner of my Bedford farm. The court surface is made with green clay, or HAR-TRU, and should be replaced before the beginning of each season, and maintained periodically through the season, depending on how much the court is used.

: I’ve been using Oval Tennis for years and they always do a great job. The company specializes in tennis court construction and maintenance. And, while many services can be done by newer, faster machinery, Oval Tennis teams are trained to set-up, prepare, and maintain all courts by hand.

: The first step is to clean the court. The entire area is blown and swept of any debris, especially the perimeter area where moss and algae can grow.

: Next, tennis court surface powder is spread in areas where needed. This rake is made of all aluminum for scarifying, leveling, and removing loose granules while spreading new material during topdressing. Its wide blade allows the tool to “float” along the surface, without grabbing or digging in.

: HAR-TRU is crushed igneous rock which provides a softer surface preferred by many tennis players. It offers less impact, less fatigue, and slower play. The amount of HAR-TRU needed for a one-inch layer is 11 pounds per square foot. Two tons of HAR-TRU are needed to cover an entire regulation tennis court.

: The drag brush has three individual rows of six-inch bristles. Two softer, outer rows of bristles move the finest particles of HAR-TRU, and a third firm, inner row of bristles levels low spots and divots.

: The drag broom is used to even out the new layer of HAR-TRU across the entire surface of the court.

: The next step is to spread calcium chloride across the court. Calcium chloride is a dissolving salt that retains moisture in HAR-TRU court surfaces.

: Calcium Chloride is an inorganic compound, a salt with the chemical formula CaCl 2. It is a white colored crystalline solid at room temperature and is highly soluble in water.

: Once it is spread, it will dissolve within a few hours. Fortunately, on this day, rain was expected in the afternoon.

: Next, the playing lines are brushed. Very specific playing lines are measured and marked on the court. After sweeping the court with the drag broom, a revolving brush passes over the lines, wiping them clean.

: I have two of these brushes as well as a drag broom hanging on the side of the court, so they are always ready when needed.

: Available with coarse or fine bristles, this line brush is easy-to-use and the angle allows the brush to dig in and remove hard-to-clean areas that require more pressure.