| 1.0 | Orientation Relative to Sun Angle A tennis court should be laid out to minimize players looking into the sun when serving or when following the flight of a ball. A tennis court also should be laid out to avoid distracting shadow lines and patterns on the court surface. Theoretically, the best possible layout would be to orient the longitudinal axis of the court perpendicular to the azimuth of the sun — the angular measurement of the horizontal location of the sun in relation to true north. Since the azimuth of the sun constantly shifts according to the time of day, the season of the year and the latitude in which it is observed, it is difficult to generalize about an ideal orientation. It is not unusual to orient a tennis court to match a specific season. Courts in the northern United States, for example, are generally used from late April to October. Therefore, northern courts usually are oriented according to the summer solstice which is approximately mid-season and, therefore, an average of the varying solar angles during this period. In the southern United States, the milder climate allows for play year round. For this reason, southern courts often are oriented according to either the spring or fall equinox, again an average of varying solar angles. Orientation can be more specific. If a court is to be used most often in the afternoon hours during the spring, as is the case with many collegiate facilities, the court should be oriented west of north for the months of April and May to minimize conflict with the afternoon sun. If the court is to be used for a specific tournament held at the same time each year, the court can be oriented properly for the actual hours of play of the final match. NOTE: It is important to remember that the orientation of the court should be in relation to true north, not to magnetic north. The angular difference between true north and magnetic north is referred to as the “deviation of magnetic north.” This deviation changes according to the geographic location. Information relating to the deviation of magnetic north from true north can be easily obtained from a local surveyor or airport facility. |
| 2.0 | Orientation Relative to Other Factors Orientation also should take into consideration other structures and features on the site, neighboring property, vehicle and pedestrian traffic and prevailing winds. Property lines, zoning requirements, topography of the site and efficient site utilization should be considered as well. |
Drawings:
Tennis Court Orientation
See also Guidelines for:
2.B. Tennis Court Dimensions and Related Measurements
ASTM specifications are available from
American Society of Testing Materials (ASTM)
100 Barr Harbor Drive
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NOTICE: These Construction Guidelines are for use by architects, engineers, contractors, tennis court and running track owners. Parties not experienced in tennis court or running track construction are advised to consult a qualified contractor, consultant and/or design professional. Experienced contractors, consultants and/or design professionals can be identified through the U. S. Tennis Court and Track Builders Association. Due to changing construction technology and techniques, only the most recent version of these Guidelines should be used. Variances in climate, soil conditions, topography and other factors may make these Guidelines unsuitable for certain projects.
Copyright © 1998 by U.S. Tennis Court and Track Builders Association. All Rights Reserved.