Clay tennis courts are considered the slowest of all tennis court surfaces because the crushed material that covers the court provides extra friction when the ball lands. Red clay is most common in Europe and is the surface used at the French Open played at Roland Garros. "The New York Times" reports that this surface gains its red hue from a layer of crushed bricks, which covers a thick layer of limestone. Green clay, which is a mildly faster surface, is more common in the United States. Signaturelandscapes.com indicates that Har-Tru brand courts are the most popular green clay court surface. Har-Tru tennis court clay is made from billion year old crushed rock found in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, and is a faster drying clay court surface. There are certain strategies that can be useful to implement when playing on both types of clay tennis courts.
Staying Back
Nearly all successful clay court tennis players spend the majority of the match back behind the baseline. The reason for this is that the clay surface slows the ball down more than other court surfaces and gives players additional time to set up and hit a return shot. This makes it more difficult to attack and come to the net, because your opponent is able to use that extra time to counter-punch and hit a passing shot. It is a smarter strategy to stay back on clay and try to dictate the point from the baseline. If you do choose to attack the net, you will want to make sure your opponent is far out of position because you have a much higher risk of being passed on a slow clay court surface.
Sliding Into Shots
Tennis instructor Pat Hanssen from Play The Clay explains that being able to slide effectively on clay tennis courts can be a helpful defensive strategy when your opponent has you out of position. By covering the court more efficiently and returning more balls, it forces your opponent to hit additional shots to win the point. The key to being able to slide across the clay surface is keeping your weight off of the front foot during the sliding process. When you are ready to stop your slide as you hit your shot, shift your weight back over onto the lead foot to halt the slide. This allows you to quickly change directions and return back to the middle of the court and prepare for your next shot.
Sneaking In Drop Shots
Another tactic that can be an effective play on clay tennis courts is the use of a drop shot. This type of shot requires a great deal of skill, as you need to place the ball so it falls softly just over the net and out of reach of your opponent. However, if executed properly, the drop shot is difficult to defend on clay. This is because the loose particles on top of the surface make it very difficult for players to gain their footing and change directions quickly. It is best to use the drop shot as an element of surprise and when your opponent is playing deep back behind the baseline.
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