Cracks on a tennis court are like seams on a pool table: they ruin the game and, even worse, can injure players and spectators, if only by their uneven edges and terrible looks. A good rule of thumb is to resurface outdoor asphalt tennis courts every four to eight years. However, rebuilding an asphalt court requires heavy machinery—floor scrapers, blowers, pressure washers, drills, a Barber-Greene. Bringing this equipment into sunken courts is highly disruptive and impractical, a logistical little nightmare. For the Cary Leeds Center, the solution was to use post-tensioned concrete, which provides a more stable surface for the two stadium-exhibition courts.

Unlike standard courts, which need to replace the asphalt subsurface every four to eight years, post-tensioned concrete guarantees minimal maintenance and ensures a longer lifespan for the courts. Since the construction of the stadium-exhibition courts, all the courts at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center have followed suit.