Shocks to the foot, legs and hips, that come from fast-charging moves on a non-forgiving court surface have also received considerable financial investment from the suppliers to the sport. Footwear manufacturers apply technology to dampen the body punishing vibrations of tennis in much the same way the automobile industry applied shock absorbers to the automobile. Specially engineered, fashionable and heavily promoted tennis shoes take the tennis player through a bewildering decision making process when deciding what to buy to protect his/her body from the damages of the weekly tennis match.

The manufacturers' endless efforts to provide players with equipment designed to protect the human body, improve their game and keep them in this shocking game "for a lifetime" are magnificent, well intentioned and should continue.

But what about the court?
It shouldn't come as a shock that surface manufacturers have been doing their part to dampen this shocking pastime. People familiar with the DecoTurf Surfacing System(sm) cringe when they hear the sports commentators at the U.S. Hardcourt Championship, The U. S. Open and many other tournaments refer to this surface as "hard" courts, the "concrete" courts of Flushing Meadow, or similar misnomers. As illustrated, the typical acrylic cushioned surface is made up of several layers that are engineered to provide shock absorbing cushion, while maintaining consistent playability and durability.

Creating a Cushioned Surface
There is a fine line between cushioning a court surface to dampen shock and affecting the dynamics of the tennis ball. Manufacturers have steadily maintained a balance that provides consistent play from major tournament to major tournament and yet provides an adjustable speed surface that allows recreational and club players to play in comfort.

To compare the cost of cushioned surfaces with the price range of racquets and shoes, consider multiples. A lightly cushioned acrylic surface costs about twice the amount of a good quality color coating system, and a fully cushioned surface runs bout three times as much. There are other types of cushioned surfaces and they, like racquets and shoes, hammer the price and pump up this multiple to six times. So the low to high multiples are nearly identical to those of racquets and shoes. Fortunately, and bucking the trend of the most fashionable being the most expensive, acrylic cushioned surfaces are reasonably priced surfaces. Now, that is a shock but a pleasant one.