Tennis is a sport for life. But anyone who has been playing for years often knows the other side of the coin: a sore knee, aching hips or sensitive Achilles tendons. There is a persistent myth among Berlin tennis players: „Ash (clay) is the healthiest surface, everything else is poison for the bones.“
We in the Sportcenter Wittenau have to contradict this myth. Red clay is a tradition, no question about it. But modern technology has revolutionized the tennis floor. Our indoor floor (a special sprung floor with a rebound ace-like coating) offers advantages for your health that a classic clay court often cannot.
Here you can find out why your body will thank you for switching to our „Grand Slam surface“ - and why professionals have long sworn by this surface.
1. the secret of the sprung floor: shock absorption like a running shoe
Imagine you are jogging. Do you prefer running on hard asphalt or on soft forest ground? Classic cinder pitches are often extremely hard - especially in midsummer when they are dry. The thin layer of brick dust usually lies on a very firm base. Every step, every stop and every landing after impact sends a shockwave through your foot and into your spine.
At the Sportcenter Wittenau you play on a so-called sprung floor. This means that the construction under the visible playing surface is elastic. It yields minimally with every step you take.
- The effect: The floor absorbs a large part of the impact energy that would otherwise go directly into your joints.
- The result: You tire more slowly and have significantly fewer problems with „heavy legs“ or knee pain the next day. It's high-tech cushioning for the whole body.
2. putting an end to the „stumbling risk“: flat surface vs. space error
Why do players get injured on cinder pitches? Often not because of the hardness, but because of the Unevenness. A cinder court changes with every minute of play. Pits form on the baseline, lines stand up, or the ground becomes too soft („soapy“) in some places, while it is rock hard in others. One wrong step into a small depression and your ankle is twisted.
Our hall floor is just perfect. There are no space errors. There are no raised lines to trip over. This predictability gives your brain and muscles security. Your body doesn't have to constantly make microscopic compensatory movements to compensate for unevenness. This relieves the strain on ligaments and tendons enormously.
3. controlled gliding vs. unintentional sliding
One argument put forward by Ashes fans is sliding to the ball. However, this sliding is often uncontrolled, especially in the leisure sector. If you slide too far, you overstretch your adductors (groin). If you want to slide but suddenly get „stuck“ on a dry spot, you risk tearing your ligaments.
Our floor in the Sportcenter Wittenau offers optimum grip (traction). It is designed so that you can brake safely without abruptly „sticking“ (as on old carpeting), but also without slipping away involuntarily. This defined grip allows precise changes of direction that are controlled purely by the muscles - not by the randomness of the floor covering.
4. the „Grand Slam“ ball physics: less stress for the arm
Joint problems don't just affect the legs. The famous „tennis elbow“ often comes from vibrations in the racket that occur when you don't hit the ball cleanly. Balls often bounce on clay. A ball that skids off the line or hits a small stone forces you to make a reflexive, often unclean striking movement. This puts strain on your elbow and wrist.
On our „Grand Slam floor“, the ball bounce is to 100 % honest. The ball arrives exactly where it should. This allows you to position yourself perfectly to the ball and hit it at the optimum impact point („sweet spot“). Clean hits mean less vibration and therefore less strain on your hitting arm.
5. take a deep breath: No dust lung
An often underestimated factor for health is the air. On cinder courts (especially in air domes or outside in dry weather), you are constantly stirring up fine red dust. This settles in the bronchial tubes and stains socks and shoes red. At Sportcenter Wittenau, you can breathe easy. Thanks to our Convertible roof In good weather, you can even play in the fresh air - but on the professional floor, which is easy on the joints.
Conclusion: Invest in your health
There is a reason why the Australian Open and the US Open are played on hard court surfaces similar to our own: it is the surface that makes modern, athletic tennis the fairest and most dynamic.
In the Sportcenter Wittenau you don't have to be a professional to enjoy these benefits. Whether you are 20 or 70 years old - your body will feel the difference.
Do something good for your knees. Test the difference between „hard sand“ and „sprung indoor floor“ at your next match.
And don't forget about regeneration: after the game, you can relax your muscles directly in our Sauna relax to make the relaxation effect perfect.
Book your joint-friendly court now:
See also:
- Tennis without membership: Why Sportcenter Wittenau is the best alternative to a club
- Spontaneous tennis in Berlin: How to book a court in under 2 minutes
- Tennis in Reinickendorf: The only hall with a convertible roof
- Tennis Tegel Berlin without club
- Hire tennis rackets in Berlin Tegel & Wittenau: top equipment for occasional players
- Tennis doubles: The best strategies for your victory