The red clay courts surface comes in numerous forms for players and the differences between these court surfaces have a great impact on the game.
The type of court surface plays a significant role in influencing how matches are played and how championships are decided because tennis is a game that depends on the small details.
Several playing surfaces are used by the Four Grand Slam tennis tournaments. For instance, on the red clay courts, the french open is played.
Now you must be thinking, what are the Grand Slam tennis tournaments?
Grand Slam Tennis Tournaments
There are four events in the Grand Slam tournaments:
- Australian Open
- French Open
- US Open and
- Wimbledon
At first, in a single year getting a victory in all these four events was referred to as “Grand Slam”.
These four primary tennis tournaments are the most valuable. The player who got victory in all four events in a calendar year is known as the Calendar Year Grand Slam.
Participation in the Grand Slam tennis is crucial for all the top tennis players of the globe. At the beginning of 1968, Grand Slam tournaments welcomed both professional and amateur athletes to participate and erase the line of distinction between them.
Grand Slam tennis tournaments are vital for the players as they open up the ways to receive the maximum number of world ranking points along with the cash price and worldwide recognition.
The Grand Slam events offer competition for men’s and women’s singles, doubles, and mixed doubles tournaments. Moreover, there are also specific events for young players during the Grand Slam tournaments.
A week before the main tournaments started, qualification matches were also held. The total number of players who compete is 128 and from which 16 players qualify for the main draw.
Although the ATP and WTA acknowledge Grand Slams and award ranking points to players who compete in them, they do not oversee their planning. The rights to the tournaments are owned by the international tennis federation (ITF). The delegations of the organization are granted to the United States Tennis Association, the French Tennis Association, the Australian Tennis Association, and the British Tennis Association.
There are various tennis court surfaces, as there are no guidelines found by the international tennis federation (ITF) that state that this particular material should be used for the construction of a tennis court.
In tennis courts, the primary types of surfaces are red clay, hard courts, and grass, which are also used in the surfaces for the Grand Slam tennis tournament.
The four Grand Slam tournaments with their surfaces are:
1. Australian Open
This tournament usually takes place in Melbourne, Australia, during the second half of January. The site of the Australian Open is Melbourne Park, and this tournament is played on a hard court.
2. French Open
French Open usually starts in the third or fourth week of May and is held in Paris, France. The court which is used for the French Open is Red Clay at Roland Garros. The matches that last for four hours or more are played in the French Open.
3. Wimbledon
Wimbledon is the oldest tennis tournament that was held in London and the first match was in the year 1877. It is played during the hot months of June and July.
Grass courts are used in the Wimbledon Tennis Club for tournaments.
4. US Open
The US Open is the major Grand Slam tournament and has been conducted every year since its inception. Behind the Kentucky Derby, it is now also known as the second oldest sporting event in the United States (USA). It starts at the end of August or at the start of September in New York.
In the US open hard courts are used at the venue Flushing Meadows.
Red Clay Courts
The French open court is the only court that is made of red clay and this made it unique from other sporting events. The Grand Slam event that is conducted on red clay courts is the French Open.
There is no doubt that red clay is the toughest court to play tennis on.
The red clay courts are physically demanding and longer ones. Because of this reason, it is considered the most physically and emotionally challenging tennis tournament in the world.
What Makes The Red Clay Courts So Different?
The type of tennis court has a significant impact on the play and result of the game. For instance, it is thought that the most challenging court to play on is the red clay court, even though the other three types of court( hard, clay, grass) have their own pros and cons.
“Arcilla” or “Tierra batida” refers to the clay tennis court surface in Spanish-speaking countries. The color of the tennis court surfaces differs in different regions because it depends on the local clay characteristics and the processing methods of the clay before it is laid on the tennis court.
It is considered that the historical development of the red clay court is in England. Initially, grass courts were used however due to the hot summer months the grass became dry and scorched, causing hurdles to play, then red clay courts were used to play this game.
According to the name, if you’re thinking that the court is composed of red clay then it’s not. It is made of crushed brick, stone, shale, or other unbound mineral aggregate. Then it is compacted to create the playing surface.
Compared to hard surface courts ( made of asphalt or concrete), which need resurfacing after 5-7 years, clay courts require more maintenance as little as 20-30 minutes every day.
The ball bounces higher and decelerates more on clay surfaces because it better captures the ball and absorbs its momentum.
There’s also an unpredictable nature of the red clay court. Its characteristics transformed on sunny and dry days as compared to wet days, resulting in less ball bounce. Moreover, the court’s bounce also changes from the beginning to the end of the day, influenced by the duration of a match being played.
Beyond the drawbacks of red clay surfaces, there are also some advantages:
- The red clay surfaces are soft so it protects the body from injuries and provides a comfortable playing experience.
- Red clay surfaces facilitate a higher rate of shot retrieval.
- The long points compel the player to make a number of decisions during each point. This improves their decision-making abilities in different situations.
There are also green clay courts which are commonly found in Canada, the US, and Central America. but these courts are a combination of distinct materials. Green clay courts are a little bit quicker in terms of ball speed as compared to red clay courts.
WRAP UP!
The current Grand Slam tournament held on a red clay surface is the only French Open. It is the most unique one as it is played on the red clay courts.
The red clay court surface affects the bounce and spin of the ball. Players who can play defensive skills have more advantage on this court. In red clay courts, players conserve energy by drifting into their shots instead of stopping completely
