DU’s tennis courts have gotten a facelift.
The age cracks that blemished the faded green asphalt of the six Stapleton Tennis Pavilion courts have been concealed by a new composite material that won’t crack, is less jarring for players and offers a strategic advantage to DU’s tennis teams.
The material is called Premier Court and is the first of its kind in the metro Denver area. Only four other facilities in Colorado use the cushioned, weatherproof surface — Crested Butte, Cortez, Telluride and Windsor.
Premier Court is a material that is unrolled onto the asphalt and then sealed with waterproof glue. A precise mixture of paint and sand is then applied depending on how fast or slow the court is intended to be.
DU officials requested a grittier surface that slows the ball, creating playing conditions closer to those at lower altitude where DU’s tennis teams play most of their matches. The result is less of a transition when the team competes at sea level, says Danny Westerman, head coach of the men’s team.
The resurfacing was completed in late September, cost about $180,000 and is intended to last for 25 years, says Stu Halsall, assistant vice chancellor of recreation and building operations at the Ritchie Center.