What Makes Red Clay Best?
Grove Tennis Club has three Italian red clay courts. These are made from a coarse mixture of brick. Clay is the softest surface for playing tennis.
Core advantages of clay courts:
- Easiest surface on the body
- Easiest surface for new players
- Best surface for constructing points
Core advantages of clay courts:
- Easiest surface on the body
- Easiest surface for new players
- Best surface for constructing points
Kinder to Joints, Tendons and Muscles
Clay is the softest surface for playing tennis. It is very forgiving and is the easiest surface on the body.
Clay courts are easier on the human body, as the surface absorbs more shock, and also allows players to slide into place rather than coming to a complete stop, conserving some of their energy.
Playing on clay courts reduces the risk of injury. This is because you can slide on the surface. The sliding reduces the amount of turning and twisting that can cause so much trouble for your joints, tendons, and muscles.
Playing on clay courts reduces the risk of injury. This is because you can slide on the surface. The sliding reduces the amount of turning and twisting that can cause so much trouble for your joints, tendons, and muscles.
Many senior players prefer clay to protect their joints, but it is important for all players of all ages to minimise sports injuries.
Easier for New Players
The slower ball speed and higher bounce can give new players more time to react and return the ball. As players develop, the more controlled game enables players to take their time to pull off a greater variety of strokes and techniques.
Best Surface for Constructing Points
It is often said that when you play on clay, you learn to really construct points well.
Due to their textured surfaces, clay courts feature the slowest surface for ball speed. This surface slows down the ball and produces a slow and high bounce compared to other surfaces. This makes rallies generally longer and more suitable for base line players and players who like to play tactically using lots of spin and finding great angles. High-bounce serves like topspin are easier to return on this surface due to the ball’s reduced speed. The reduced speed makes points last longer, which is ideal for baseline players who have a more defensive style of play.
Due to their textured surfaces, clay courts feature the slowest surface for ball speed. This surface slows down the ball and produces a slow and high bounce compared to other surfaces. This makes rallies generally longer and more suitable for base line players and players who like to play tactically using lots of spin and finding great angles. High-bounce serves like topspin are easier to return on this surface due to the ball’s reduced speed. The reduced speed makes points last longer, which is ideal for baseline players who have a more defensive style of play.
French Open
The French Open is the only Grand Slam that uses a clay court. Professionals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are considered two of the best players on clay courts to date. Ever since Rafa Nadal won his first French Open in 2005, he has been the man to beat on clay, his favourite surface.
Gustav Kuerten, a Brazilian tennis legend, won the French Open in 1997, 2000 and 2001.
In 2008, he played his final tournament and despite not winning, he was awarded a final trophy, in the form of a cross section of a clay court.
This gives us an amazing insight into the construction of a clay tennis court and you can see it is made up of several layers of materials. These include soil, crushed gravel, a coal residue called clonker, crushed white limestone, and then a topcoat of signature red brick dust. Each layer is packed then levelled before being hydrated for the perfect surface.
In 2008, he played his final tournament and despite not winning, he was awarded a final trophy, in the form of a cross section of a clay court.
This gives us an amazing insight into the construction of a clay tennis court and you can see it is made up of several layers of materials. These include soil, crushed gravel, a coal residue called clonker, crushed white limestone, and then a topcoat of signature red brick dust. Each layer is packed then levelled before being hydrated for the perfect surface.
Nadal on Clay
Spanish legend Rafael Nadal believes that in the future there should be fewer tournaments on hard surfaces. He identifies the health risks of hard courts compared to soft clay courts.
"Playing hard on hard is hard on the body. I consider this topic from a purely health perspective. We need to find other coverings for future generations that are safer for the body." |