H2NO
Tennis Court Drying 101
Section / Genre: How to / Maintenance
Portland is not among the wettest cities in North America, despite its rainy reputation. “Tennis City, USA” absorbs just 36 inches of rainfall annually, about half the amount Miami receives and just a fraction compared to Hilo, Hawaii, which sees an astonishing 140 inches of rain every year.
The category Portland does lead? The total number of days on which it rains. In the Pacific Northwest, it rains often but not heavily. Because most of that rain falls in the colder months, when outdoor tennis is more likely to be dormant, the region lags behind other parts of the country in addressing rainy day play.
“I’ve been dealing with wet tennis courts my whole life,” says Jared Carstenn, who grew up in a notoriously rainy and humid part of Florida, where his father was a teaching pro. Carstenn began teaching at 14 and moved to Oahu in his early 20s for a job at the Kailua Racquet Club, where he now serves as Director of Tennis. Naturally, Carstenn has become one of the country’s foremost experts on wet-court management.
Kailua sits on Oahu's rainy, windward side. Rain falls frequently, but showers rarely last all day. For Carstenn and other tropical tennis directors, a wet tennis court presents a problem to be solved.
The best way to deal with rainwater on a tennis court is to prevent it from pooling in the first place. “Being able to get a tarp on the courts—that’s the absolute number one deterrent,” Carstenn says. Unfortunately, tarps are expensive and hard to store, which is why most clubs rely on handheld tools to remove water after it’s no longer raining. “The second the rain stops, you squeegee,” he advises. “If it rains again, it rains again. But if you wait, you lose valuable court time.”
After squeegeeing away standing water, the next step is absorption—either with rollers, towels, or even old, repurposed shag carpet. Once excess water is absorbed, the only remaining option is evaporation. You can simply wait, or you can speed up the process with various blowing and fanning implements.
As important as equipment is, technique matters just as much. Court-drying styles often reflect the local weather patterns that created puddles in the first place. Juan Padilla grew up playing tennis in soaking-wet South Florida and now works as a high-level teaching pro at Vancouver Tennis Center. Padilla emphasizes the “spiral squeegee method,” especially when drying alone. Starting a few feet behind the “T” in the center of the service line, you spiral outward, preventing against the waterlines that straight, back-and-forth passes are liable to leave.
Just as the sport of tennis requires specific tools and techniques as well as a resolve to play, likewise the practice of clearing a wet court is less about perfection than perseverance.
A Practical Guide to Court Drying: Factors, Tools & Tactics
Sunlight vs. Shade
Courts exposed to direct sun clear for matchplay much faster than those tucked under tree canopies or beside tall buildings. If the weather’s iffy, seek out courts that get direct sun.
Squeegees
When pressed against a wet surface, the squeegee’s rubber blade creates a shearing action, scraping the liquid and any suspended dirt or debris off the court’s surface. Applying gentle but consistent pressure is key to the blade's effectiveness, allowing the squeegee to do its job without dulling its sharp edge.
Rollers
Nitrile rubber rollers, which are black, push water, they don’t absorb it. In that sense, they look like rollers but essentially function as round squeegees. PVA foam rollers, which are gray, act like dense sponges, absorbing water from the court’s surface. Both types of rollers are consumable products with finite lifespans—proper storage in the shade prevents cracking, and can extend their effectiveness by a season or two.
Absorbent Mats
Synthetic turf mats and other water-absorbing products (like old carpet scraps, placed nap-side down) can be laid across wet spots to wick up surface moisture.
Leaf Blowers
Leaf blowers can help circulate air and speed evaporation, especially in puddle or ‘birdbath’ zones.
Fan and Fanning Devices
Got an extension cord and somewhere to plug something in? Large fans help courts dry, as do DIY fanning devices, such as a sweatshirt affixed to a racquet or stick.
Court Design & Maintenance
Courts built with proper grade shed water quickly. Freshly resurfaced courts dry faster and more uniformly. Routine sweeping and trimming of overhead vegetation reduce drying time after storms.
Prophylactic Measures
The best way to keep a court dry is to prevent it from getting wet in the first place. When the sky is threatening rain, tarp the courts!
Post-Precipitation
Use the patented “PAB” method: Push, Absorb, Blow. Push water off the court as soon as the rain stops, with either a squeegee or a black, rubber roller. Absorb all the remaining water that you can, with either a foam roller, mats, scraps or towels. Blow away any dampness that remains after that, with either an electric leaf blower or whatever tools you have at your disposal.
This story originally appeared in the Portland Tennis Courterly’s Wet Issue. To purchase a copy, visit our online store.