Green Clay Tennis Courts Emerge as Climate Solution

NYU researchers find green clay courts can absorb significant amounts of carbon dioxide

Apr. 18, 2026 at 1:54pm

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A highly structured abstract painting in earthy tones of green, brown, and blue, featuring sweeping geometric arcs, concentric circles, and precise botanical spirals, conceptually representing the complex scientific forces and natural processes that allow green clay tennis courts to sequester significant amounts of carbon dioxide.An abstract visualization of the carbon-absorbing power of green clay tennis courts, a surprising climate solution emerging from the sport of tennis.Charleston Today

A recent study by researchers at NYU has found that green clay tennis courts can collectively remove approximately 25,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year, with 80% of courts reaching net zero emissions in fewer than 10 years after construction. The researchers highlight the positive environmental impact of green clay courts compared to traditional hard courts, and suggest that as tennis organizations focus on reducing carbon emissions, green clay courts could become more prevalent.

Why it matters

As the tennis industry and sports world more broadly look to address climate change, the findings on green clay courts provide a tangible solution that can make a meaningful impact. With tennis being a popular global sport, the widespread adoption of green clay courts could lead to significant carbon sequestration and help mitigate the effects of climate change.

The details

Researchers Jonathan Lambert and Frank J. Pavia calculated the carbon sequestration rates for 17,178 green clay courts in the U.S. and found that they collectively remove approximately 25,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year. This is equivalent to taking 4,200 cars off the road. The researchers also found that the initial construction of a green clay court emits at least 1.6 times less carbon dioxide than a hard court. The key to the carbon-absorbing properties of green clay courts is that they are made of basalt rock, which can undergo a process called enhanced rock weathering to draw down atmospheric carbon dioxide.

  • The study was published in April 2026.
  • The Charleston Open, which uses green clay courts, takes place annually.

The players

Jonathan Lambert

Ph.D. and Visiting Assistant Professor of Climate Change and Interdisciplinary Science at NYU Gallatin School of Individualized Study, and lead author of the study on green clay tennis courts.

Frank J. Pavia

Co-author of the study on green clay tennis courts and fellow geochemist.

Qiyu Zhou

Researcher who published a paper in 2024 advocating for enhanced rock weathering on golf courses, which inspired the researchers to study the potential of green clay tennis courts.

Charleston Open

A tennis tournament that uses green clay courts, which the researchers cite as an example of a facility that could become more carbon-negative than hard-court facilities.

USTA, ATP, WTA

Tennis organizations that the researchers believe could be interested in promoting the use of green clay courts to reduce carbon emissions and address climate change.

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What they’re saying

“The idea for this study came about when our grad school tennis crew (four Columbia University geochemists, all rated around 4.5 NTRP) got plugged into a new climate change solution called "Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW).”

— Jonathan Lambert, Ph.D. and Visiting Assistant Professor of Climate Change and Interdisciplinary Science at NYU Gallatin School of Individualized Study

“In the paper, we show that ~17,000 green clay tennis courts across the U.S. combined sequester ~25,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year. This is equivalent to taking ~4,200 cars off the road. We also find that just the initial construction of a green clay court emits at least 1.6X less carbon dioxide than constructing a hard court.”

— Jonathan Lambert, Ph.D. and Visiting Assistant Professor of Climate Change and Interdisciplinary Science at NYU Gallatin School of Individualized Study

What’s next

The researchers suggest that as tennis organizations like the USTA, ATP, and WTA look to reduce carbon emissions, the findings on green clay courts could lead to more of these courts being built or existing hard courts being converted, especially at facilities like the Charleston Open.

The takeaway

The study on green clay tennis courts highlights a unique and unexpected way that the sport of tennis can contribute to climate change mitigation. By leveraging the carbon-absorbing properties of the basalt rock used in green clay courts, the tennis industry has the potential to become a leader in sustainable sports practices and inspire other industries to explore similar solutions.