A Question of Aesthetics: Courts without Doubles Alleys

[RaulRamirez]

...just wondering if you prefer watching singles matches without doubles alleys, or if you prefer the regular court dimensions (even though the alleys don't come into play)?

While I've watched a fair amount of matches on courts without the alleys, it's still very disorienting to me.

Has anyone played on a court with only singles dimensions marked? (I haven't.) Any opinion?

 

[King No1e]

I hate those courts with a passion. It looks like they're playing the wrong sport.

 

[bluetrain4]

The only time I've ever seen it is the Masters/ATP Finals.

I honestly don't care at all. It's fine, but so is watching with doubles alleys. It's different at first, but the adjustment only takes a couple minutes.

 

[Sysyphus]

familiarity breeds … content. And so I like the traditional courts with doubles alleys, because that's what I'm used to.

The alley-less courts look slightly off whenever I watch it, but doesn't take long to get used to it.

 

[AnOctorokForDinner]

They are epic. Need more of those

 

[tennis_pro]

When you focus on the actual tennis instead of the court itself you don't seem to mind after a while.

But still I'm conversative, like the old adage goes - why change something that isn't broken?

 

[TennisD]

At the risk of showing my age I always thought they were super cool only at an ATP Finals type event. It's kind of like white at Wimbledon, it feels right there but it would be exhausting and boring to see it everywhere. It would be kind of cool to see it reserved for the year-end championship event, and to see those events experiment more with court colour combinations.

 

[JaoSousa]

...just wondering if you prefer watching singles matches without doubles alleys, or if you prefer the regular court dimensions (even though the alleys don't come into play)?

While I've watched a fair amount of matches on courts without the alleys, it's still very disorienting to me.

Has anyone played on a court with only singles dimensions marked? (I haven't.) Any opinion?

I've played on a few, and it feels really weird that there are no doubles alleys. Sometimes it feels like I have less space to hit to because of them. I guess in the long run it won't really matter, but it takes a while to get used to.

 

[Moonballballer]

I've played on a few, and it feels really weird that there are no doubles alleys. Sometimes it feels like I have less space to hit to because of them. I guess in the long run it won't really matter, but it takes a while to get used to.

I've heard from quite good ATP players that the first sessions on those courts they tend to hit far away from the lines. Makes sense.

 

[Federev]

...just wondering if you prefer watching singles matches without doubles alleys, or if you prefer the regular court dimensions (even though the alleys don't come into play)?

While I've watched a fair amount of matches on courts without the alleys, it's still very disorienting to me.

Has anyone played on a court with only singles dimensions marked? (I haven't.) Any opinion?

Hate the weird skinny courts

 

[Jonesy]

They should abolish doubles alleys from all singles tournaments. Let doubles be played at another place.

 

[lim]

literally the first thing that came to mind watching the Thiem v haas exo

 

[BeatlesFan]

That crazy Next Gen exo used a court with no doubles alleys.

 

[merwy]

It's your mind playing tricks on you. Why would you feel the need for a piece of extra "court" that isn't being used? Just because you're used to it, doesn't make it better. If we would stick to things we were used to, there would never be any improvement in anything. That being said, I think we'll always keep the doubles alley as I can't imagine tournament organizers changing the most famous courts we have (RLA, PC, Wimbledon CC, Arthur Ashe) into singles-only courts. It'll probably just be some of the newest courts where they don't have any doubles alleys.

 

[MeatTornado]

I've played on a few, and it feels really weird that there are no doubles alleys. Sometimes it feels like I have less space to hit to because of them. I guess in the long run it won't really matter, but it takes a while to get used to.

It definitely messed with my brain the one time I played on one. I played so conservatively.

 

[NoleFam]

I think it looks really cool and makes the tennis look more high risk, and difficult. I always think of that match between Sampras and Becker on a court like that and it was awesome to watch.

 

[Fedinkum]

I don't mind the single alley court but my dyslexia anxiety returns when I see a tennis/badminton/netball/basketball/volleyball/athletic track/baseball pitch all in one court...

 

[Diablo XP]

I like them aeshetically as they are sleeker to look at. I occasionally play at a nearby state college that has 3 or 4 of the singles only courts. It feels a little weird, and takes a minute to get used to for sure, as it feels like you have less court to work with, but I don't have a preference as far as playing goes. As far as watching goes, I prefer them along with the singles net. Better looking.

 

[RaulRamirez]

I don't mind the single alley court but my dyslexia anxiety returns when I see a tennis/badminton/netball/basketball/volleyball/athletic track/baseball pitch all in one court...

Brutal...when playing, I'm distracted enough by the damn pickleball lines.

 

[metsman]

growing up, at the indoor club the court all the way at the end was the singles court and it's usually where you banished the slow kids/where you got discounted rates.

 

[Robert F]

First time I played on one it took me 5 minutes to realize what was missing. All the dimensions felt off and then it made me feel less athletically apt--feels much less court to cover.
Keep the allies so that my ego doesn't take the hit.

 

[Im(moral) Winner]

GOAT courts