The majority of court surfaces for outdoor sporting surfaces or running tracks are built by using asphalt. It's covered in acrylic, typically, and designed to last for a long time.

The courts made of clay at the French Open might get all the attention, but there are two things that should be understood about the highly praised courts for the tennis Grand Slam: They are not made from the kind made of clay that gardeners are familiar with and dislike (they're comprised from crushed stone, shale as well as brick). Furthermore, some Grand Slam courts are made of different substances.

To be precise, the reigning queens and kings of the game are different in regards to the kind of court they would prefer, like clay (Serena Williams, Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray), grass (Roger Federer, Venus Williams, Johanna Konta), and the hard courts (Novak Djokovic).

In reality, the tennis courts that the majority of amateurs use are made up of asphalt-based hard courts, approximately 95% of them. They might not appear like the black asphalt that we are using to pave roads and driveways, but they must be constructed using different methods. However, the area which is the most obvious and that affects the play is usually covered by an acrylic layer, often coated with green or blue pigment. It is important to note that, despite being perceived as being a bit pedestrian, they are utilized at events like the US Open (Forest Hills, NY) and the Australian Open (Melbourne). The court on the hard surface is quicker than, say, grass (Wimbledon makes use of perennial ryegrass) because grass absorbs a lot of the energy that the ball expends.

However, when it comes to the construction of tennis courts, basketball outdoor courts, and running tracks generally, they are covered with an asphalt underlayment. The construction of all must be completed according to the requirements that the sports require, not only in terms of dimensions but also with regard to factors, which affect the performance of athletes. Additionally, since many such facilities are publicly operated by parks departments and the public school system, they have to function with as few maintenance costs as is feasible.

This isn't a service that the typical asphalt paving business offers. The construction of sports courts is a highly specialized service that few asphalt contractors are equipped to offer. If you are looking for a contractor to design and construct a sports court, choose one that has an established track record of success.

In all instances, there is a cost associated with the asphalt-like surface that is coated with acrylic creates stress on the construction company to attain exact planarity (the plane that is demanded by sport and for rainfall runoff) along with smoothness. It is usually done using two layers of asphalt. The second layer corrects the imperfections of the first one—over one of an aggregate (decomposed granite) base. A base of rock or clay beneath that is preferred. If a contractor needs to cut through the organic (softer) soil to construct tennis courts, for instance, the ground must be compacted before constructing the court so that there won't be any settlement in the court after a one or two years after the construction.

There are specific guidelines regarding how to construct tennis courts, track, and basketball courts outdoors that are provided by the American Sports Builders Association. The association closely monitors the advancement of current and accurate technical information to ensure the highest standards in design and construction, as well as maintenance of sports facilities.

In reality, it is true that the Williams sisters are not without their own preferences regarding the type of court they want to play on. However, the quality consistency of courts guarantees that all the future players of tennis, basketball, and track are learning their abilities on courts that are properly constructed.