| Forest Hills Clay Court Classic | |
|---|---|
| ATP Challenger Tour | |
| Founded | 2003 |
| Abolished | 2007 |
| Location | Forest Hills, New York |
| Venue | West Side Tennis Club |
| Category | ATP Challenger Series |
| Surface | Green Clay / Outdoors |
| Draw | 32S/32Q/16D |
| Prize money | $50,000 |
The Forest Hills Clay Court Classic was a tennis tournament held in Forest Hills, New York from 2003 until 2007. The event was part of the ATP Challenger Series, and was played on outdoor green clay courts.
Tennis is a racket sport that can be played individually against a single opponent (singles) or between two teams of two players each (doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket that is strung with cord to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over or around a net and into the opponent's court. The object of the game is to maneuver the ball in such a way that the opponent is not able to play a valid return. The player who is unable to return the ball will not gain a point, while the opposite player will.
Forest Hills is a mostly residential neighborhood in the central portion of the borough of Queens in New York City. The north, east, and south boundaries are the Long Island Expressway, Grand Central Parkway, and Union Turnpike, respectively. Google Maps shows the western boundary running roughly along 102nd Street, 67th Avenue, and the Long Island Rail Road's former Rockaway Beach Branch; while the Encyclopedia of New York City defines the western boundary as Junction Boulevard and the former Rockaway Beach Branch. The area was originally referred to as "Whitepot".
A clay court is one of many different types of tennis court. Clay courts are made of crushed shale, stone, brick, or other unbound mineral aggregates. The French Open uses clay courts, making it unique among the Grand Slam tournaments. Clay courts are more common in Continental Europe and Latin America than in North America, Asia or Britain. Two main types exist: red clay, the more common variety, and green clay, also known as "rubico", which is a harder surface. Although less expensive to construct than other types of tennis courts, the maintenance costs of clay are high as the surface must be rolled to preserve flatness.
