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 Key Tennis Events To Look Forward To In 2021

In light of the coronavirus pandemic, many tennis fans were left disappointed last year following the cancellation of events left, right and centre to help minimise the spread of the virus.

Fortunately, however, thanks to the rise of vaccinations over recent months, those same events are unlikely to be cancelled this year, meaning that many people can start getting excited about seeing their favourite tennis players in action once more.

And just in case you’d forgotten about which events and things you can look forward to over the coming months, we thought we’d compile a brief list to remind you.

Join us as we run through some of the best events in the tennis calendar to look forward to watching – or even potentially attending – later this year.

Wimbledon. 28/06/21 – 11/07/2021.

We start with the British classic, Wimbledon.

One of the landmark events of the sporting calendar generally – let alone the tennis calendar – the return of Wimbledon is sure to be a welcome relief to fans the world over.

And even if the competition has to go ahead without fans in actual attendance this year, it’ll still be a lot better than last year’s competition which didn’t happen at all – the first time in its history.

In what could be one of Andy Murray’s last grand slams, this year’s competition currently looks set to take place between Monday 28th June and Sunday 11th July with tickets (hopefully!) going on general release sometime in June.

Tokyo Olympics. 23/07/2021 – 08/08/2021.

In a similar way to Wimbledon, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics were postponed in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

However, as it stands, the competition looks set to go ahead later this year between Friday 23rd July and Sunday 8th August, meaning tennis fans can get excited about seeing their favourite players in action.

Although international travel currently remains uncertain, and fans from the UK may be unable to attend the event in Japan themselves, watching from the big screen at home in the UK or at the pub could offer an equally great alternative atmosphere.

After all, the event is likely to be the last Olympics for well-known players like Andy Murray, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, who will each be bidding to finish their careers with a gold medal around their neck.

Nitto ATP Finals. 14/11/2021 – 21/11/2021.

Again, while this competition will largely depend on the successful rollout of the vaccination program and the continued decline of COVID-19 cases, the Nitto ATP Finals are currently planned to go ahead later this year.

Taking place at the Pala Alpitour arena in Turin, this men’s tennis competition represents the season-ending event for the highest-ranked singles players and doubles teams on the 2021 ATP tour.

In other words, it’s sure to have some big-hitters playing, with previous winners including Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and – most recently – Daniil Medvedev.

The event also did go ahead last year which bodes well that it will avoid being cancelled this year.

Plus, even if fans are unable to attend, the competition promises to be a great way to celebrate the culmination of the other events in the tennis calendar, providing fans with a final sense of relief for having tennis back in their lives.

If you’d like to follow in the footsteps of your favourite tennis stars, why not consider building your own tennis court? Here at Sovereign Sports, we have substantial experience in the design and construction of a wide range of court surfaces, so get in touch with us to get started.

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.

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.

Continue reading “Tennis surfaces: what’s the best playing style?”

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.

Continue reading “Singles and doubles court: what’s the difference?”

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.

Continue reading “Do you need planning permission to build a tennis court?”

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!

Continue reading “Favourite court surfaces of the most famous tennis players”

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.

Continue reading “Tips for avoiding wear on your tennis court”

How to improve your tennis forehand

Every tennis player would love to make changes to their game to help them improve, and there is no doubt that the forehand is one of the key shots that can make this happen. Whether you have a private court in your garden and can spend hours practicing, or you only get the chance to head down to the local tennis club every so often, there are changes that anyone can make to improve.

Continue reading “How to improve your tennis forehand”

How to prevent tennis elbow

Tennis elbow is one of the injuries that is most often suffered by regular tennis players. If you have a home court on your property or you are a member of a tennis club and you have found yourself developing the symptoms of tennis elbow it can be very distressing. Not only is the condition uncomfortable, but you might be worried that you won’t be able to play tennis in the future without suffering pain.

Continue reading “How to prevent tennis elbow”

Contact Us

Contact Us

Please get in touch using the form below

Contact Us Side