Christchurch's newly renovated Elmwood Tennis Club has been reopened after a significant restoration which included a state of the art re-surface.

Six of the club's nine courts have been uplifted, removed and replaced with TigerTurf Tournament 1000, a product which is denser than other surfaces, making it harder, faster and longer wearing.

The two-tone colour combination of olive inner (inside the white playing lines) and brick outer (outside the white lines) was selected to maximise visibility on the court, making line balls easier for umpires to identify.

Club manager Noel Curtis says the new surface is particularly good for the young members of the club who are developing their tennis skills.

"Tournament 1000 is a lot faster than a grass surface while still being forgiving than other harder surfaces - a great combination for young players who are constantly learning. It allows players to slide into shots, meaning they get plenty of action on the ball in competitions, while being lenient on their joints.”

?It is an ideal surface for older players too as it is kind to their knees and hips. We have had a lot of comments from older members on how much more enjoyable tennis is since the re-surfacing and how they suffer fewer after effects.”

TigerTurf's Stephen Holmes says the Tournament 1000 surface, which was installed by the company's South Island agent MultiSport Surfaces, has been well received by both club members and the club committee as it is a sturdy product which looks professional.

"Tournament 1000 is the number one choice playing surface for club level tennis in New Zealand as it is a longer wearing product,” he said. ?This is due to the tufts being closer together producing a dense, durable surface.”

"As well as allowing greater contrast, the two-tone colour combination gives the court a professional look and feel which the young players really appreciate.”

When The Elmwood Tennis Club was formed over 80 years ago, nine ashphalt courts were laid, They were then replaced with porous concrete between 1965 and 1973 until 1984 when courts 1 to 6 were resurfaced with synthetic grass. The recent renovations began in October last year.