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Tennis
"Life is like a game of tennis; the player who serves well seldom loses" - Unknown
When people say "clay courts" they really mean "clay-like courts". Clay courts are almost extinct in the United States. What one plays on is igneous basalt, better known as Har-Tru. The latter sounds like a Wal-Mart knock-off. "Har-Tru is made from a billion year old Pre-Cambrian metabasalt found in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. This rock is crushed, screened, and mixed in the precise proportions necessary to produce a stable surface." That sounds a lot better, doesn't it? There are a few clay courts in the United States, however. Those are the ones that take a day or two to drain after a heavy rain storm. Even the French Open (at Roland Garros) and the Italian Open are not played on clay, in spite of what the tournament directors say. The surface is crushed red brick (which was once clay, but no more) on a base of limestone and other materials. If you want to play on real clay courts you'll have to go to Mexico, Central, or South America. If you want to know more about this fascinating subject see www.xsports.com/clay.html. The Web sites listed below probably won't improve your tennis but will keep you informed about the game.
USTA
USTA New England
The Tennis Server
Tennis Warehouse The official Web sites of some of the major tournaments:
Australian Open
French Open
US Open
Wimbledon
Davis Cup
Grand Slam Champions In addition:
Tennis Magazines
Rules, Ratings, etc.
Tennis Media
Sports Medicine
Resorts
More Tennis Links
Tennis Questions, Glossary
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