The tennis on Fisher Island is highly regarded and is a gem of a facility – a Mediterranean style Racquet Club. Sure the level of play is great amongst members, but the beautiful atmosphere and quality courts distinguish the Fisher Island tennis facility. It has attracted many pros like Andy Roddick, Anna Kournikova, and many more. There’s a total of 18 tennis courts, made up of hard, clay, and grass courts. The tennis aficionados are passionate about the type of surface they play on and it sparks many views.
There is a forever debate, what is preferable to play on, clay or grass. Tennis is played on a variety of surfaces and affect the playing style of the game, being able to play on both surfaces, gives the luxury of developing a competitor’s edge.
Real Tennis which is the precursor of the modern game of tennis, was popular with the British and French nobility in the 1500’s. Henry VIII was avid player. Real Tennis was played on either wood or stone.
In the late 1700’s, “Field Tennis” also known as “Long Tennis” began to use grass courts. In 1873, the current design of the court was created. Until the 1970s, the majority of tennis tournaments were played on grass.
Grass is a soft surface, and the bounce of a tennis-ball may vary depending on the health,
mowing or wear on the grass. The grass surface allows the ball to bounces lower, and players must reach the ball faster. The most famous grass tennis court is Centre Court at Wimbledon.
Clay courts were created in 1880 in Cannes. The court was covered with a powder from terra cotta pots. This surface was better for the sunny, dry areas. In 1928, H.A.Robinson created a surface based on classic clay, plus a little green piled rock, Until the 1980’s, most clay courts were found in Europe and South America.
Clay courts give more topspin and favor a “full western grip” . These typically create a slower paced game because the balls bounce high, making it difficult for a player to return a shot.
Playing both grass and clay can give an edge to your game, whether it’s for pleasure or tournaments. Bottomline is that this debate is not likely to be resolved anytime soon. Regardless of your preference for clay or grass, all agree that the Fisher Island Racquet Club offers some of the finest of each style.