When you have your own home tennis court, it’s important to keep it in good condition. The best way to do this is to have a number of rules written down and visible. This allows anyone who uses the court to know what is expected of them.
1 – No skateboarding or rollerblading
Whether you have children, grandchildren or often host friends with children it can be important to put in place a rule regarding skateboarding or rollerblading. A large flat surface like a tennis court can look extremely tempting to young skateboarders. The problem is that these can significantly damage the court. It’s a good idea to make it clear that skateboarding is not allowed on the court.
2 – No pets
It’s also true that pets should not be allowed on the court. While they are unlikely to damage the surface with their paws, they may wish to relieve themselves, which can be even worse. Aside from the obvious annoyance of having to clean up the mess, it’s also worth pointing out that any kind of acidic substance can be very damaging to the materials of the court and this should be avoided if at all possible.
3 – No hot food or drink
There’s no problem with bringing a bottle of water onto court to sip between points, but no-one should be bringing hot food or drink onto the court. Dropping any hot food or drink on the court is another way that you can damage and wear down the surface with acidic substances.
4 – Sweep the court before you play
To keep your court in the best possible condition it is important that you sweep it on a regular basis. One of the best ways to ensure this happens is to sweep before each session. This not only helps to keep the court from deteriorating but can also make the surface safer to play on as you’ll be removing any debris and detritus that might have accumulated and could be a slipping hazard.
5 – Remove any standing water as soon as possible
Finally, you need to have a rule that any time it rains heavily and standing water is visible, that water should be removed as soon as possible. Dirt can build up in standing water and this can cause problems with the court surface so it’s better to remove the water and allow it to dry out quickly.
