Playing on a claycourt surface is usually considered to be a daunting challenge for any tennis player as was seen in the bygone edition of the French Open 2021
It puts to test their physical and mental strength by pushing it to the breaking point. Thus, a claycourt tennis encounter can easily last for three to four hours, acting as an energy-sapping exercise for the players involved. Nevertheless, certain players do like the slow grind and pace of the claycourts.
French Open 2021: Why Is Claycourt So Dicey To Navigate?
The trickiness of the claycourts lies in the unevenness of the surface that occurs as the match progresses. The lopsidedness on the track emerges due to the feet of the players and the balls start creating sore spots and potholes, adding to the weird bounce. Thus, when the ball drops on those positions, it bounces abnormally, requiring the players to assess their opponents’ gameplay carefully.
With the deck on the slower side, it does not favour baseline players either. Nevertheless, quite a handful of players have found a way to excel in the claycourt surface, mainly due to their ability to generate heavy topspin and hit drop shots.
Top Claycourt Tennis Players Of All Time In The World
Mats Wilander
Mats Wilander was one of the significant figures in Tennis for a long time in the mid-1980s and undeniably one of the finest claycourt players of all time. Mats Wilander won the French Open on three occasions, the first of which occurred in 1982 and retired in 1996 by winning 20 claycourt tiles. The 56-year old’s greatest strengths were returning the serve brilliantly, groundstrokes, and the ability to commit few unforced errors.
Mats Wilander spent at the number one spot for 20 weeks between September 1988 and January 1989. The Swedish great beat players like John Mcenroe and Ivan Lendl on the clay surfaces during his heydays. While Wilander was not a swift mover on the court, he hit his groundstrokes remarkably well and had an excellent backhand.
Guillermo Vilas
Former Argentinian tennis star Guillermo Vilas was yet another claycourt specialist and won 62 titles in his 24-year career, 49 of which was on the red deck. But it is pertinent to note that Guillermo Vilas won the French Open only in 1977; however, he bagged the US Open title that year, played on clay.
Aside from the aforementioned achievements, Vilas also won the Australian Open in 1978 and 1979 and ended up as the runner-up in French Open thrice in 1975, 1978, and 1982 and once in the Australian Open in 1977.
Apart from 49 claycourt titles, the 68-year old emerged victorious in nine Grand Super Prix series as well. The Argentinian earned the number one ranking from the World Tennis Magazine in 1977. Guillermo Vilas held the record for most wins in the Open era on the claycourt surface with 53 victories until Rafael Nadal surpassed it in 2006. Vilas also has the most match wins on the red clay with a whopping 672.
Ivan Lendl
Ivan Lendl earned recognition for his supreme fitness, athleticism, and never-say-die attitude. Ivan Lendl spent jaw-dropping 270 weeks at number one – the fourth most at the position after Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Pete Sampras. Lendl also spent 157 consecutive weeks on the summit of the ATP rankings and was amongst the finest claycourt players, alongside rivals in John Mcenroe and Jimmy Connors.
The 61-year old bagged the French Open titles in 1984, 1986, and 1987 and overall won 94 titles, 28 of which came on clay. The Czech’s gameplay was characterized by outstanding range or court coverage, good single-handed backhands, good returning of the serve, and very few errors. In addition, Lendl was highly responsible for revolutionizing the game with his hard-hit groundstrokes and emphasis on fitness.
Bjorn Borg
Bjorn Borg was one of the few players who thrived on both claycourt and grass surface, as he was no ordinary player. With six French Open Championships, Bjorn Borg holds the record for the second-most number titles in the section of Grand Slam after Rafael Nadal. In a career that lasted a little more than a decade, Borg also won five Wimbledon titles and became the first player to do so in an open era.
The 56-year old, who won 32 out of 66 titles in the claycourt surface, remained exceptionally calm and composed on a tennis court. The mid and late 1970s saw Bjorg beat the likes of Ivan Lendl and Guillermo Vilas frequently to rule over the Roland Garros arena. Not only did the Swedish had incredible stamina, but he was also indefatigable in his approach, hitting excellent groundstrokes and being a great returner of the serve.
Rafael Nadal
There exists little doubt on Rafael Nadal’s unmatched greatness on the claycourt surface, clinching the French Open a record 13 times so far. Rafael Nadal has lost only thrice in the French Open, with Novak Djokovic achieving the stunning feat in 2015 and 2021 and Robin Soderling doing so in 2009. The Spanish great has won 62 titles on the claycourt track so far, while the total amounts to 88.
By generating a lethal topspin from his forehand and groundstrokes deep into the other half of the court, Nadal possesses the ability to outplay any opponent and the likes of Roger Federer and Djokovic have experienced it.
The 35-year old also has consistency in service returns and is blessed with remarkable stamina. The world number three’s 81 consecutive victories on a clay surface between 2005-2007 is the longest in an open era.