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clay court

American  

noun

  1. an outdoor tennis court having a clay surface.


clay court British  

noun

  1. a tennis court with a playing surface topped by a layer of crushed shale, brick, or stone

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of clay court

First recorded in 1915–20

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

On the grass, your second serve can give you some protection because the surface adds a bit more pace and keeps the ball shooting through compared to a hard or clay court.

From BBC Jul. 2, 2026

He had won 17 matches between 7 April and 17 May to claim clay court titles in Monte-Carlo, Madrid and Rome, dropping just three sets along the way.

From BBC May 28, 2026

He would have been looking to kick on further in 2026, but will now miss the entire grass court season along with the majority of the clay court swing.

From BBC May 19, 2026

Britain's Jack Draper will miss the rest of the clay court season - including next month's French Open - because of an ongoing knee injury.

From BBC Apr. 29, 2026

She showed him how to play tennis on a clay court.

From "Orbiting Jupiter" by Gary D. Schmidt

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