The clay surface has very often been a stumbling block for many of the world’s top tennis players who have reigned supreme on other surfaces. It is for this reason that a victory at Roland Garros is more valuable than a triumph at the Australian Open or US Open.
The clearest proof of this is Pete Sampras. The American won fourteen Grand Slams in his long career, but failed to reach the French Open final.
In addition, Sampras had topped the pro tennis rankings for a whopping 286 weeks.
Of the current players, only two have managed to win all four Grand Slam tournaments. Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are no secret. There are six of them in total.
Playing well on the ground requires stamina and nerve, as bouts on the ground can last several minutes.
This is aided by the speed with which the ball bounces off the court. Of course, it’s much slower on clay than on hard court or grass.
Why do Hispanic tennis players play better on slow surfaces?
Because their trainers teach them stamina and physical exercises since childhood. That’s why there are so few Spaniards among juniors. Children in Spain are taught to play tennis as a second choice.
Bets on the Spanish clay matches
The funniest thing happens when two well seasoned Spaniards take on each other on the clay. It’s extremely rare that their matchup doesn’t turn out to be a long one. If a high-stakes match fails to materialise, the risk is understandable, as even the Spaniards find it difficult to stay fully concentrated in a match lasting over two hours.