On the MTL blog yesterday, Dave Adams offered 7 tips on how to play the clay. Today, we’ll look at how the clay court suits some of the top players, and how that might impact who’s left at the end.
We learned yesterday that clay makes everything sllllooowwwweerrrr!!
Because the ball slows down, players who move well are able to retrieve more balls and make opponents hit more attacking shots to finish a point. These attacking shots are risky, so hitting more of them means a higher chance of making an error.
Advantage: The clay favors players who are fast and make few errors as well as those who are very fit and stick to a low-risk strategy. Also, confidence is crucial.
Disadvantage: The clay hurts offensive players who rely on a weapon like a dominant serve or forehand.
So, how does this impact the top players in the men’s draw?
Rafael Nadal – Nadal is far and away the best clay-court tennis player in the history of the game. The undisputed king of clay has won the French Open the past five years straight, and an astonishing nine out of 10 times. Nadal’s game and his steadfast determination and confidence are not surprisingly perfect on the clay. This year, though, he won’t win. That confidence is shaken, his results are suffering recently, and his opponents are too good.
Andy Murray – Murray is on a clay-court roll. He has a couple of huge titles on clay leading into the French, and is playing the best clay-court tennis of his career. He moves well and can play a variety of shots from anywhere on the courts, resulting in some creative defense. With his confidence on the clay at an all time high, he is definitely a contender.
Novak Djokovic – While it would be somewhat crazy to pick against Novak in anything lately, if you want to bet against him, on clay is the surface to do it. He has yet to win a French Open title in his career. He, like Murray, moves with the best in the world and plays dynamic defense on the dirt.
Roger Federer – With Nadal struggling and Novak vulnerable, maybe it leaves the door open for one more run from Roger?! Or, maybe that is wishful thinking from a life-long fan. Either way, fingers are crossed that Roger’s graceful footwork and artistic shot-making can claim the championship crown.
Other – It might be strange to call Kei Nishikori a surprise pick while ranked 5 in the world, but at 23 years old and having never won a major, he is definitely a long shot. With that said, he’s playing the best tennis of his life, and, if his body can hold up, is just cracking the surface of his potential. Look for a serious run from Kei.
No matter who’s there at the end, the French Open is two weeks of tennis at its best — full of thoughtful strategy and graceful athleticism. Enjoy some of the best players in the history of the game as they write its next chapter.
