The tennis courts at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman

It’s summer time and the livin’ is easy. But not so for the people who look after The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman’s tennis courts.

Following the Outback Champions Series Legends Tournament, hosted by The Residences at the Ritz-Carlton in April, the hotel’s three courts have been completely re-conditioned.

Having been both aerified and resurfaced, the grass court still needs to be mowed three times a week to maintain its pristine, silk carpet-like condition. Lines are re-painted weekly and the entire court is repositioned every 60 to 90 days - so the baseline grass has time to grow during the busy summer months.

“The grass court is most definitely both labour intensive and costly to maintain,” Karyn Sutton, Pubic Relations Director of the resort, told Cayman Net News. “Luckily we do have the expertise of our golf course maintenance crew who specifically tend to the grass court as it requires nearly 30 hours of maintenance every week.”

The hotel’s three clay courts are also highly labour intensive to maintain, according to Ms Sutton. “Every two years they need to be totally refurbished at a cost of more than $20,000. And on top of that, workers spent 25 hours a week on maintaining each court in peak condition.”

Then comes the rainy season, after which the clay courts need to be totally resurfaced. Some five tonnes of fresh clay for each court brought in, at an additional $2,000 per year, said Ms Sutton.

For the month of July, the courts are open to the local community for both beginners and more advanced players. Formal summer tennis classes for kids will be hosted there from Monday to Thursday. Fees are $36 for children aged 7-14.