Why are the white lines on a court slippery? If the paint on the lines was the same as the paint on the court, the ball bounces would be the same, rather than the skids you get when the ball skips off the line.

— William King, Atlanta, GA

This is a question better put to whoever maintains your courts. All court paint should have the same sand content so that the “pace” of the court is consistent, regardless of where the ball bounces. On clay courts, there’s not much that can be done to reduce the contrast between the tape lines and the clay surface.

Except where noted, answers are based on the ITF Rules of Tennis and USTA's The Code.

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