Standard Guide for Tennis Court Fencing and Other Perimeter Enclosures

Abstract

5.1 The Primary Function of a Tennis Court Perimeter Enclosure is to keep tennis balls in and uninvited traffic out. It also serves as a barrier to prevent players from colliding with fixed objects and spectators. It prevents players from running onto irregular or slippery surfaces or into dangerous adjacent areas. Enclosures need to respond to secondary functional requirements, including; spectator viewing, screening the court from wind and visual distractions outside the court, and be as open and welcoming as security considerations permit. Tennis courts were once surrounded by a 10 ft (3050 mm) to 12 ft (3660 mm) high fence. In cases where security or dangerous adjacent conditions are an issue, this type of enclosure is still popular, but in most cases, tennis fences are a variety of heights and can accommodate lights, shade shelters, gates for players and maintenance, and can have completely open portions of the perimeter that lead to decks, grandstands or landscaping. 5.2 The Intended Use of This Guide is to identify the specific functions and qualities desired of a tennis enclosure and offer recommendations on how to achieve them with a chain link fence, or other enclosure, for different type of tennis courts. Although this standard is focused on chain link fencing that makes up the majority of tennis enclosures, many of the recommendations are applicable to other traditional and new fencing options for tennis court enclosures that are available on the market. This Standard is intended primarily to guide those responsible for, or concerned with, the layout and design of perimeter enclosures for both private and public tennis courts, and where other standards may not apply.