The Effects of a Clay Tennis Court

The soft surface of a clay tennis court affects how you move, where and how you hit the ball and your shot selection. Successful clay court tennis players have adjusted their style of play and have developed effective strategies. The clay surface of the court is less jarring for the body, causes the ball to bounce higher and slows down the game.

  1. Effects on the Body

    • A clay tennis court has a softer surface than that of a hard court, and it is easier on the body. Playing on hard courts requires a lot of quick stop-and-go movements, which can be hard on the legs, back and ankles over time. A good clay court player will learn to slide with balance to hit the ball. This has less overall impact on the body. The softer surface causes the play to be slower: more shots get returned, and the rallies are longer. More balls will be hit before a point is won or lost. This requires a player to be in excellent condition and have the stamina to run down many balls before winning a point.

    Effects on the Ball

    • Clay tennis courts absorb more of the ball's momentum, causing the ball to bounce higher and slower. When the ball makes contact with a clay court it will grip and sit up instead of skid. The rallies tend to be longer, making it harder to win quick points. Players that play with a lot of spin on the ball have an advantage, because the court will grab the ball, causing it to kick up from the surface. This makes it harder to return. Ball bounces can be unpredictable, because the surface is not always uniform.

    Style of Play

    • Playing on clay tennis courts requires more patience and a more defensive style of play. There will be longer rallies and points, so more strategy is needed to win. A player that plays from the baseline will do well when playing on clay. Serve and volley players will find it more difficult because of the way the ball reacts with the court's surface. Hitting a drop shot is very effective on clay. With the spin of the ball, it will die at contact, making it hard for a player to get to the ball in time to return it.