The Best Gizmos & Gadgets To Add To Your Tennis Court

If you have recently had a tennis court constructed at your home, business or property and are now looking for new ways to get the best out of it, we’re here to help.

From automatic ball machines to the right clothing, there are a number of high-tech gadgets and accessories you can easily add to your court to significantly help improve your performance.

Whether you’re practicing by yourself or with a partner, if you’re looking to improve the timing of your swing, your volleying ability, or the pace of your serve, investing in a few on-court extras could be a great idea.

With this in mind, join us as we run through some of the best gadgets, gizmos and accessories we think you should be adding to your tennis court and lifestyle.

Specialist Racquets

While it may sound fairly obvious, the racquet you use on the court can make a big difference to the way you play tennis.

From the head size to the string dexterity, there are several components that affect a racquet’s performance so it’s important to make sure the one you use suits your style of play.

What’s more, thanks to the rise of technology over the years, you can even now purchase racquets with specialist sensors in to help you keep tracks on how well you’ve been playing.

The Babolat Play Pure Drive V2, for example, features sensors built directly into the handle which allow you to track everything from the number of shots you’ve played to the speed, power and percentage rating of your serve.

Tennis Sensors

If you’d rather avoid going all in on a specialist tennis racquet with built-in sensors, there are alternative options to consider that enable you to track your performance while using your existing racquet.

The Zepp Tennis 2, for example, is a smart tennis sensor which can attach to the end of any racquet and monitor key performance metrics to improve your technique on the court.

Able to track forehands, backhands, smashes, serves, top spins, lobs – pretty much any tennis shot you can do – the device also features cameras for you to record your play, should you so wish, allowing you to see what you’re doing well and where you need to improve.

Hawk Eye Systems

While on the topic of improving your technique, adding a Hawk Eye camera device to your court can allow you to video and see your form, helping analyse your body position, footwork and movement when taking certain shots.

The In/Out device, for instance, is a great way of not only being able to tell whether certain shots were inside or outside the lines but also to monitor your form.

This GoPro-like device utilises a similar technology to self-driving cars, using specific algorithms to detect the court’s various lines.

Offering a margin of error between 20 – 30 millimetres, perhaps the device’s most useful function is the 1080p cameras which record both sides of the court and offer a great insight into not only who won the point but also your technique while on the court.

Floodlighting

Now that the colder winter months are just around the corner, that can only mean one thing: the evenings will be getting darker soon as well.

So, in order to get the best value out of your tennis court, it’s important to be able to use it whenever you want to – even when it gets dark outside.

Adding floodlighting is a great way to do exactly that, allowing you to still see the ball and practice without needing to worry about the sun setting in the distance.

While it may not be a new technology as such, installing it on your court can be a highly cost-effective way of ensuring you can improve your technique whenever you like.

Here at Sovereign Sports, we install a wide range of tennis court surfaces at properties throughout the South of England. To find out more about these, or to discuss constructing a court on your premises, please do not hesitate to get in touch – we would be more than happy to help.

The Dos & Don’ts Of Tennis Court Maintenance

With daylight saving time right around the corner, lighter evenings and better weather are on the way. And that can only mean one thing – the tennis season is coming.

Now, therefore, is the best time to get your tennis court back in shape. After all, the winter months can wreak havoc on courts in any number of ways – whether it be the bad weather leaving litter scattered everywhere or wild animals unknowingly causing potential damage.

Before you dive straight into the maintenance of your court though, it’s important to be aware of the things you should and shouldn’t do when getting it back to looking its best.

Join us as we run through what a few of these are.

Do: Use The Right Equipment

When it comes to cleaning your court, you need to make sure you are using the right equipment.

Brooms or blowers are great for piling up any litter, leaves and debris, while a decent weed-eater can remove any grass or weeds you spot creeping through the fence onto the court’s surface.

Don’t: Use The Wrong Equipment

However, while on the subject of weed-eaters, it’s important you make sure not to use too much, as the harsh chemicals could damage the court’s surface.

Likewise, try to avoid using bleach to clean the court’s surface as this could cause the court to stain or discolour. If you have to use bleach, only use it in small areas where you notice mould or mildew being present.

Do: Look For Cracks

Cracks can not only ruin the overall aesthetic of the tennis court but, if left undealt with, can affect the play of the surface.

As such, it’s important to go around your court looking for any cracks. Then, should you find any, contact our team here at Sovereign Sports and we’ll be able to get them repaired for you in time for the summer.

Don’t: Forget To Repaint

If it has been between three and five years since you last had your tennis court painted, it may be time to bite the bullet and get it looked at by us.

During the coating and repainting process, our team will make sure the court is still level and crack-free, and we will work with you to get the court back to looking exactly how you want it to.

If you’d like to change the court’s colour completely, for example, or you’d like to replace any of the floodlighting or fencing you currently have, we can work around your exact needs.

Do: Remove Any Standing Water

Standing or stagnant water can both affect the durability and play of tennis courts, so it’s important to remove it when you notice it.

Especially after periods of rainfall, try to fill any areas you notice water standing on to reduce ponding from happening. The last thing you’ll want, after all, is to feel a big splash while trying to hit a glorious forehand winner.

For further tennis court maintenance hints and tips, please do not hesitate to contact our friendly team. As experts in the construction, restoration and repair of all types of tennis courts, we are equipped with the expertise required to get your court back to looking its best.

How To Maintain Your Tennis Game At Home

Following the government’s decision to enter into yet another lockdown, millions of people have been left with no choice but to stay inside and temporarily miss out on the activities they’d normally do to pass the time.

From visiting the cinema to going into the office, the world has effectively had to stop in order to get a grip on the pandemic. And, while this is obviously vital, the onus is now on all of us to keep our heads up and change our lives to the temporary way of life.

So, if you’ve recently found yourself missing the squeak of your trainers on a freshly resurfaced tennis court, we’re here to help you get tennis back into your life during the lockdown.

And, since you can’t actually go to the courts at the moment, we have come up with a few ideas you can do from the comfort of your own home.

Get The Mirror Out

While it may sound slightly silly on the face of it, using a mirror to watch your tennis action can actually make a big difference to your game.

Whether it be your forehand, backhand, smash, volley or serve technique, there will likely be subtle things you don’t know you’re doing that will influence how effective your shot is.

As such, using a mirror to practice a few shadow strokes could help you identify these areas and make you feel more comfortable about swinging your racquet with a more fluid motion.

Utilise Your Space

Depending on how serious you are about improving your game, it could be worth getting creative with the tools you have available.

If, for instance, you have an outside wall on your house, clear some space, draw on a net-level white line and practice rallying with yourself against it.

Alternatively, if you’re tight on room, invest in a foam ball and practice volleying against a wall in your home. It may not be the most tiring form of exercise but it could significantly help improve your reactions and overall control of the racquet when you’re next playing singles or doubles.

Get In Shape

The gyms may be shut at the moment but that’s no reason to let your fitness falter. After all, there are a number of workouts you can do to keep in shape at home – from Joe Wicks’ online videos to going on runs around the local park.

Being fit is imperative when it comes to being a good tennis player, so the more you can do while in lockdown, the sharper you will be when you’re next able to be out on the court again.

And, to keep potential issues like tennis elbow at bay, consider combining a few yoga sessions mixed with rope jumping or low impact aerobics. Or, if you have a nagging injury, use this time to rehab it properly, while keeping your fitness up in other ways.

When you are finally able to return to the court, you’re going to want to make sure it’s in tip-top condition. So, why not utilise our help? Here at Sovereign Sports, we have substantial experience laying and resurfacing tennis courts, so contact us to keep your court looking great.

How long does a tennis court construction take?

One of the most common questions we receive from homeowners interested in having a tennis court constructed is: how long will the process take? It is undoubtedly an important issue given the implications of having a part of the home or garden be a construction site for a period of time. However, it can be a difficult question to answer because there are a number of factors to consider.

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Is a grass court worth it?

For many homeowners it is their dream to own a tennis court – and in a perfect scenario they would have a grass court. Much of this is down to the popularity of the world’s most important tennis tournament, Wimbledon, which is famously played on grass. But while you might love to play on a grass court, there are many other aspects of ownership that aren’t as fun.

If you are interested in the possibility of getting a grass court installed, it’s worth understanding some of challenges associated with this type of surface, as well as some of the alternatives available.

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Tennis surfaces: what’s the best playing style?

Sometimes improving at tennis is about more than just practice. It could be the case that the way that you play is right for one type of surface but is not well suited to another. Here we take a look at the different tennis court surfaces and the styles of play that suited them best.

Grass

Traditionally the most popular and theoretically most effective playing style on a grass court (or a synthetic grass court) is the serve-and-volley style. This type of play emphasises powerful serving and fast shots. The player will typically hit their serve and then immediately rush towards the net to attempt to volley a winner before their opponent can get settled. This style can endpoints very quickly, disrupting opponents’ rhythm.

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Singles and doubles court: what’s the difference?

With years of expertise in creating beautiful tennis courts for homes, sports centres and schools, Sovereign Sports has plenty of experience not only in building the surface but also in spraying the markings. Many people enjoy tennis but don’t actually understand the court markings particularly well – specifically, they may not understand the difference between a court during a singles or doubles match.

Of course, the vast majority of tennis courts are marked with full doubles. This is the familiar shape of the court that you will have seen if you have watched Wimbledon or played on a standard tennis court.

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Do you need planning permission to build a tennis court?

Home tennis courts are growing in popularity. Aside from being a great way to stay in shape, having a tennis court can also improve the value of your home as well as provide a lovely centrepiece for the property. However many homeowners are put off the idea by perceived bureaucratic challenges such as getting planning permission.

However, if you are thinking of having a tennis court installed, it is good to know that having to get planning permission is a rarity. Here we take a look at whether you are likely to need permission to have a court installed.

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Three common myths about tennis courts

There are many myths and misconceptions hanging around about tennis courts and how they are constructed. The truth is that many of them have no basis in fact at all. Here we look at three common tennis courts myths and the truth behind them.

Myth 1: You can only have a hard court installed

It is commonly thought that if you want to have a tennis court installed in your property, your only option is to have a hard court surface. While there is no doubt that hard court is the most popular of the tennis surfaces found in the UK, it is possible to have others installed. High quality synthetic courts such as artificial grass and even artificial clay can be easy constructed.

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Favourite court surfaces of the most famous tennis players

Tennis courts come in a range of different surfaces from the standard hard court to the rarer grass and clay courts.

Andy Murray

Clay is listed as Andy Murray’s favourite surface in his ITF profile. And while this might be the case it can’t be denied that it is also the surface that he has seen the least success on. An all-court player, Murray’s game works well on every surface, but given his two wins at Wimbledon as well as his Olympic gold medal, it would be fair to say that his favourite surface is grass!

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Tips for avoiding wear on your tennis court

Tennis courts are sturdy and long-lasting but if they are not looked after properly they can wear down just like any other surface. And the truth is that a lot of this wear is avoidable if you take sensible steps. When used correctly and kept in good condition your tennis court surface can last more than a decade without significant wear, but this can be drastically reduced if the court is misused. Here are some tips for avoiding wear on your tennis court.

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Why tennis court maintenance is still important in the summer

All tennis courts require some form of maintenance. Some tennis court owners assume that they only really need to put the work in when the weather is poor, however, this is not the case. The most popular type of home tennis court is the hard court, made using all-weather macadam and while this is hard-wearing and easy to maintain, it is still vital that you are carrying out basic work on a regular basis through the summer months.

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