Everything you need to know about the new clay court in the Porsche Arena
Clay has been used at the indoor Porsche Arena ever since 2009, but this year there is a new kind of court for the event in Stuttgart.
Hungarian company Rebound Sports have developed this latest technology for portable and highly sustainable tennis courts.
So how are the cutting-edge clay courts installed at the indoor arena?
According to organisers of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix: “The first step involves laying 15-millimetre-thick foam mats on the bare ground.
“These then serve as shock absorption. Then large wooden boxes are driven into the arena by a forklift truck.
“They contain 2.14 x 1.07-metre plywood panels weighing 90 kilos. It is covered by a two-centimetre-thick mixture of red brick dust and a binder.
“A court consists of a total of 483 panels and weighs approximately 50 tons. It takes about 12 hours to lay the jointless surface.
“The clay court in Stuttgart consists of two layers made of ground red tiles – first of all a layer of two-millimetre grains and then ones only half as thick are laid on top. A binder is added for improved moisture retention. It is also the reason why the court does not have to be watered during the course of the tournament and only has to be dragged.
“The five-centimetre lines marking the playing area are pre-cut and accordingly pre-glued in the panels.
“Whilst the courts were previously shredded and recycled after the tournament, Rebound Sports’ courts are disassembled the day after the final and stored. A total of six 40-tonners then transport the panels back to Hungary. A seventh truck transports the red clay which is then donated to tennis clubs in Hungary.”
As usual there will be a Porsche motor vehicle up for grabs for the winner of the clay court event.
This tournament is a popular stop on the WTA Tour, and has attracted 16 of the WTA’s top 20 players in the world.
“To be honest, we offer them the best conditions for them to go about their profession successfully,” Tournament Director Markus Günthardt said.
“It begins with the excellent practice facilities and ends with the full arena and its fantastic atmosphere. I have to pay the Stuttgart crowd a big compliment as the atmosphere in the Porsche Arena is fabulous not matter whether a qualifier or a Top 10 player is on court. It’s something the players really appreciate. And then there’s also a fantastic car to win, a fully electric Porsche Taycan Turbo S Sport Turismo.‟
READ MORE: Porsche Tennis Grand Prix claims ‘field stronger than a Grand Slam’
