ITF

19 FACILITIES GUIDE | JUNE 2020 Because outdoor courts are exposed to the environment, they require optimal orientation and fencing. ORIENTATION There are two principles that govern the orientation of tennis courts. These are: • The position of the sun. • The effects of shadows cast onto the court surface. It is important to avoid players having to look into the sun when facing the opposite end of the court. As the sun moves from east to west during the day, then a similar orientation of the tennis court must be avoided. The effects of the sun are minimised by adopting a generally north-south orientation, such that the sun is to the side of (or directly overhead) the court. The general principle to follow is that, during times of maximum usage, low elevations of the sun should be avoided behind the server (it should be noted that the sun is at its lowest elevations early and late in the day). Due to the earth's precession (tilting of the polar axis), a north-south orientation is not always the best solution. The times of day and the seasons of the year when the court is likely to be used should be considered. For example, an outdoor court may not be heavily used in the middle of the day when the temperature is high. Similarly, some courts are intended for year-round use, while others will only be used in certain seasons. Also, the latitude at which the court is being constructed should be considered, as locations closer to the equator, where play is more likely to take place all year round are more likely to be affected by the low-elevation of the sun in winter. As an example, the following table shows that, at the equator in mid-January, the sun is in the south-west during the late afternoon to early evening period, when it is also low in the sky. Thus, a court in this location in heavy use at this time of year should be oriented north-west to south-east by about 25º.

• Cover