# How to Orient a Tennis Court to Reduce Sun Glare

Plan tennis court orientation around the hours people play. Compare north–south alignment with the actual sun path, nearby shade and site constraints before building.

Canonical HTML: https://suncastapp.com/blog/orient-tennis-court-sun-glare
Last updated: 2026-09-30

Author: **SunCast team**

If you are planning an outdoor court, decide when people will play before drawing its final axis. A court can look well placed on a site plan yet put the setting sun behind a serve or high ball during the busiest session. Tennis court orientation is a playing decision as much as a drawing decision.

> **A north–south court axis is the usual starting point for reducing sun glare. It tends to keep the low morning and evening sun to the players’ sides rather than directly beyond a baseline. Check the actual sun position during your expected playing hours: season, latitude and nearby obstructions can change the result.**

[Tennis Australia’s court guidance](https://www.tennis.com.au/doc/court-and-enclosure-dimensions) prefers a north–south orientation while making the playing time and season part of the decision. That qualification matters for a school court used after lessons, a club with weekend morning matches or a private court used mainly after work.

## Start with the long axis of the court

The long axis runs from one baseline through the net to the opposite baseline. On a north–south layout, players at the ends generally look north or south during play; the net line runs east–west. The rising and setting sun is generally to the east or west, although its exact bearing moves through the year.

An east–west layout can place low sun closer to a player’s forward view at one end of the court. A server may have the worst of it when looking up for the toss; the player receiving at the other end may face a different problem later in the session. The issue is the angle between the sun and a player’s sightline, not the compass label on the drawing alone.

The court’s dimensions, run-off space and construction still need a full design. Sun position answers one part of the site brief.

## Check the hours people will actually play

Write down the regular use pattern before comparing layouts. A court booked from morning to evening needs a broader check than one used for an after-school programme. Include the season when the court will be busiest and any fixed tournament times.

Open the [SunCast Sun Calculator](/tools/sun-calculator), select the proposed court location and set a representative date. Move through the playing window and record the sun’s direction and height. Repeat for a second season if the court will be used year-round.

[Check the sun during playing hours](https://suncastapp.com/tools/sun-calculator)

SunCast provides sun azimuth, which is compass direction, and elevation, which is height above the horizon. [NOAA’s solar glossary](https://gml.noaa.gov/grad/solcalc/glossary.html) defines both angles. The calculator can show where the sun will be; it cannot decide whether a particular player will lose a ball in glare or whether a proposed tree will screen it. Use the angles to identify times worth checking on site.

> **A useful glare check names a player position, a date and a time. “West-facing sun” is too broad to settle a court layout: the player’s sightline and the sun’s elevation determine whether the light sits near the ball’s path.**

## Compare the proposed layouts from both ends

Sketch the baselines, net and any alternative court axes on a site plan. For each likely session, compare the sun’s direction with the view from both baselines. Pay particular attention to serves, overheads and high defensive balls, when a player may look above the usual rally sightline.

| Check | Why it changes the decision |
| --- | --- |
| Morning and evening sessions | Low sun is more likely to enter a player’s forward view |
| Both baseline positions | Players swap ends, and one end may be much more exposed |
| Main playing season | Sunrise and sunset bearings shift across the year |
| Nearby buildings and trees | They may screen a direction for only part of the session |
| Spectator and waiting areas | A comfortable court can still leave people in exposed seating |

If you are comparing two layouts, keep the dates and session hours the same. This makes the trade-off visible. For a proposed court near a tall building, check whether the building’s shadow reaches the playing surface and whether it creates a sharp light-and-shade boundary during play. Our guide to [seasonal shadow changes](/blog/shadows-change-winter-summer) explains why a single summer visit may mislead.

## Treat north–south as a starting point, not a shortcut

Tennis Australia’s [infrastructure planning resource](https://www.tennis.com.au/doc/tennis-infrastructure-planning-resource-2019) recommends a north–south court axis to reduce the effect of rising and setting sun, while recognising site constraints and surrounding design treatments. That is a practical default, not a claim that glare disappears on every north–south court.

If the site cannot accommodate that axis, test the workable alternatives against the busiest use window. A modest rotation may improve one period and worsen another. Record the trade-off for the club or owner instead of presenting one angle as a universal answer. Check true north on the plan: a phone compass or a boundary line may be referenced to magnetic north or may simply be approximate.

Shade trees or a building can help with low sun, but screen placement deserves its own design. Tennis Australia’s planning resource also lists [tree roots beneath pavement](https://www.tennis.com.au/doc/tennis-infrastructure-planning-resource-2019) among causes of court-base failure. A tree selected only for its shadow can become an expensive neighbour to a playing surface.

## Verify the site before committing

Visit at the likely playing time, preferably in a season relevant to the court’s use. Stand at each proposed baseline and look along the expected play axis. Note the skyline, existing shade, and whether low sun sits behind the opposite service box or just outside the court. Do not look directly at the sun to make the assessment.

If the court does not exist yet, mark its approximate corners and net line safely on the ground. A [future-date sun-path check](/blog/see-sun-path-future-date) helps you choose a comparable date for the visit. Photographs from the marked positions, with date and time recorded, are more useful to the designer than a general note that the site “gets evening sun”.

Orientation is only one input. Allow for run-off space, drainage, access, wind, lighting, neighbours and local planning requirements in the full court design. Bring the proposed axes and your playing-hour sun checks to the court designer; ask them to test the layout that best fits both play and the site.

Start by checking the court’s busiest hour in the [Sun Calculator](/tools/sun-calculator). That single time often makes the first layout choice much clearer.

## FAQ

### Should every outdoor tennis court run north–south?

North–south is the usual preferred starting alignment because it reduces the chance of players looking straight towards the low morning or evening sun. The best layout still depends on playing hours, season, latitude and site constraints. Compare the proposed court with the local sun path before fixing the design.

### Will trees beside a court solve sun glare?

Trees can screen a troublesome direction, but their shade changes with season and growth. They also need suitable clearance from the playing area and may bring leaves, roots and maintenance issues. Check the sun angle and the mature planting plan together.