If you are a tennis fan and actually play yourself, you may well have experienced a game on a clay court. This is the very old, red surface that has been used in countries like France and Spain since the game originated.
There is no other surface quite like clay to have a game of tennis on. The strong red color is very attractive and literally makes tennis a whole different ball game!
Whether or not you have yet to experience playing on a red clay court, I have a few fascinating facts about this unique surface to share with you.
A player who constantly serves and volleys on other surfaces will find themselves really struggling on the class. As will those whose success depends on the accuracy of their booming serves.
If you do ever see a player approach the net while playing on clay, it is a very rare thing indeed. Those who rely on their booming serve will also find that it hasn’t the effect on this surface as it does on others.
So why is the strategy for this game so different? Well, it is very simple, the clay is a thick and heavy surface which sticks to the ball and therefore slows it Down considerably.
So as where you are used to seeing a ball hit the surface then rise at great speed, you will be seeing the opposite happening on a clay court.
There have been some marathon tennis matches played on clay, and that has been because the ball has slowed as it hits the surface and given the player time to be able to reach it.
The rallies are obviously longer and shots easier to reach than they would be on the fast courts. A sure fire winner on grass is probably reachable on clay.
Although the ball is easier to reach, the faster player will always have the advantage over their slower opponents.
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