clay court

American

noun

an outdoor tennis court having a clay surface.

clay court British

noun

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.

Raducanu missed March's Miami Open because of a viral illness and opted out of clay court events in Linz and Madrid to recover fully.

From BBC • May 1, 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

British Davis Cup captain Leon Smith has previously told BBC Radio 5 Live that maintaining a clay court can be expensive for clubs - and is not helped by the British weather.

From BBC • May 21, 2025

World number four Jessica Pegula mounted a superb second-set comeback to beat Sofia Kenin 6-3 7-5 and land her first clay court title at the Charleston Open.

From BBC • Apr. 6, 2025

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

From "Orbiting Jupiter" by Gary D. Schmidt

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023