About Us

The history of clay court tennis is almost as old as tennis itself. Within a handful of years from tennis’ invention, Wimbledon champion William Renfrew was covering his Mediterranean grass courts with crushed up clay pots from a nearby factory to protect them from the scorching sun. And in the process accidentally invented a new way of playing.

The creation of this novel surface revolutionized the sport, and much of what was true over a century ago still holds true today. The loose surface allows for sliding, which in turn reduces joint strain, particularly in the knees, so it’s a better for players of all ages and experiences.

Similarly, since balls slowed down on contact with the clay, the very nature of the game changed. Brute force and speed gave way to a far more strategic approach. Outright winners are harder to hit, so points became longer and more tactical. Clay quickly became the preferred surface for beginners as it encouraged a deeper understanding of the game.

But while that same material still forms the basis of most European courts, for American players, red clay had some downsides. The very nature of the product, and how it was produced, were both a blessing and a curse. The firing of the clay - tinted red as a result of the oxygenation of the iron in the source material - also resulted in a rigid material that was great for bricks and pots, but when ground to create the court surfacing, also produced super fine particles that have become notorious for their ability to stain anything and everything with the same red to ochre hue of the source bricks.

Aesthetics aside, red clay has also historically been an expensive way to surface courts in the US, as the raw materials needed to be shipped from Europe, at considerable expense. So even in the heyday of imported red clay, few courts in States were built, and fewer remain.

There are currently a number of clay-like surfaces available in the U.S. market, but the differences between those products and the red clay surfaces in Europe are sufficient to have stopped them from ever gaining true acceptance into high level tournament play. The Charleston Open on the WTA circuit being one of the few exceptions.

Which is where Roland Tennis and Crimson Red Clay comes in. Unlike European sourced red clay, Crimson Red Clay is mined right here in the US, which means that dollar for dollar, it’s competitively priced by comparison to other surface materials in the domestic market. It has many of the same benefits as European clay, but as it’s mined and ground to the right particle size at source, it lacks the super fine dust of it’s European cousin. And with no added dyes or colorants necessary, it doesn’t end up coloring everything it comes into contact with that lovely shade of red.

It also has a more robust and practical chemical nature. Being more alkaline and containing fewer organic materials, it is more resistant to algae growth but still has the drainage and moisture retention characteristics that make for a perfect playing surface. When combined with our unique court construction techniques (which are U.S. Patent pending), Crimson Red Clay from Roland Tennis makes for an end product that is both fast drying and retains the optimum water content for a consistent playing surface between watering cycles.

We believe that it truly is the best clay surface you can find. Anywhere in the world. And only available here in the United States.