Clay courts allow players to slide, which makes them more mobile and adds flexibility to their movement. He has a great serve and a great forehand. But, prior to Roger Federer's run to the 2012 title at the All-England Club, he was clearly the most dominant player on Wimbledon grass. Djokovic said that he is "50-50" on going to the Tokyo Olympics. 2011-2020: best winning % on clayNadal 90.98Djokovic 84.62Murray 75.96Thiem 74.87Ferrer 73.91Zverev 70.00Nishikori 69.85Wawrinka 69.23Almagro 67.63Berdych 66.10Min 100 matches. And with the sport being unique, in that there are several court surfaces, it makes the game even more challenging and difficult to shine. Despite notching another win on clay, Nadal is still the top-ranked player on both surfaces. Its non-toxic composition is made of crushed bricks and mineral aggregates. Tennis expert Enrico Maria Riva has compiled a list of the most significant tennis stats from the decade that has just gone by, i.e. Between grass and clay in terms of speed, hard courts come in different types. This tournament gave birth to quite a lot of champions who could master the low bounce and the quickness of grass balls. expressed his dismay by the defeat of youngsters at the Australian Open but was more than happy to see Stanislas Wawrinka reaching the quarterfinals. These four tennis surfaces we just covered all have pros and cons and can all be useful for improving a particular aspect of your game. Rafael Nadal has achieved more on clay than I may be able to list in this slide (no pun intended). I wouldn't say grass is Djokovic's best surface, but he's playing in a time where it almost enhances his play style and together with the way he improved his serve after 2010, plus some clutch performances, he has been very successful indeed. Meanwhile, in Australia, they use a material called Plexicushion, which is a bit slower. Roger Federer, in his opinion, prefers grass courts because they allow him to hit shots with a greater variety of angles. His game is entirely suited for the surfacehis heavy forehand breaks down fellow-baseliners and his retrieval skills make the court seem small for competitors. The open34Total Count21223 contains 21223 rows. 10. Despite being born on clay, the Serbs four Grand Slam victories are significantly better on hard courts than on clay. Physical stamina and resistance coupled with a good service can go a long way there, so make sure you adapt your practice sessions accordingly. Terms of Use and Grievance Redressal Policy. Acrylic-topped, this surface offers the most consistent ball bounce of all the outdoor tennis courts. Novak is always the most popular choice. Our relationship is still very good. According to Daniil Medvedev, Novak Djokovic is the best player on grass in history. As one of the favorites for this years Wimbledon, Medvedev ranked Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer among the best grass players of his generation. Nadal has had a long-running rivalry with Roger Federer, dating back to their early days as 14-year-olds. This year at Wimbledon, grass courts were only used. Their head-to-head record was 730 when Nadal retired from the French Open in 2016, citing a left wrist injury. Novak Djokovic faced his first loss of the 2023 season on Friday, falling to Daniil Medvedev in the semifinals of the Dubai Tennis Championships. One may wonder, why is that exactly? Hard courts are made of concrete, topped with a synthetic and or acrylic layer. Watch more top videos, highlights, and B/R original content, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Djokovic's grass court record is WAY better than his actual grass court game. If he can keep up this level of play, he will be the only man to defeat Nadal in all four major tennis tournaments. Djoker is clearly dominant on any surface with any bounce or speed. Many professional players use this time to prepare and practice for the competition. Hard courts are cost-efficient as they are cheaper to build and require close to no maintenance. While Andy Murray and Juan Martin del Potro round out the top 5, 24-year-old Russian Daniil Medvedev represents the younger generation in this list at No. He is the best player on Grass over the last few years but HC is where he is best. Djokovic has a very powerful and aggressive game that allows him to take control of points and dictate play. Therefore, it is not surprising that Djokovic is favored to win on grass courts. Novak Djokovic is determined to become the greatest player of all time on grass. Despite winning five Grand Slam titles, including four on hard courts and one on grass, he has never advanced past the semifinals in Paris. I don't understand why OP question would draw such mockery from some posters. The 34-year-old has won eight of the past 12 majors he has played, and will be the heavy . Die-hard Murray fan but nothing against Novak (except when he plays Murray of course). Grass: Federer, Djokovic, Nadal Once again, the player at the top of this surface is clear; Federer's seven Wimbledon titles make it pretty obvious that he is the best grass-courter right now. Novak Djokovic, who has won 60 of his 81 career titles on hardcourts, had an 88.38% winning percentage on the surface during the 10-year time-frame, followed by Federer and then Nadal. Roger Federer has won 19 titles on grass, including ten at Halle, eight at Wimbledon, and one at Stuttgart. 60 of the Spaniard's 86 career titles have come on dirt, and a majority of those 60 have come in the 2011-2020 decade. In his column for the Times of India, Becker wrote, "The Australian Open entered its second a week with some of the contenders whom I had mentioned, particularly among the younger players, falling in the early rounds. This tennis court surface requires specific training, physical condition, and skillset. Still give the edge to hardcourts. Serb Novak Djokovic holds a winning percentage of 87.4% on clay courts, making him the best player in the world. djokovic best surface. 95-18 on grass (84.07%) 552-105 on hard court (84.02%) It feels like we've always said hard court is Novak's best surface, but is it time for us to rethink that? Djokovic's best surface is undoubtedly hard court. You must log in or register to reply here. Medvedev describes grass as the toughest surface to play on. Sometimes you don't even have a minute. According to the Wimbledon runner-up, Djokovic is also the best mover across all surfaces. According to the Wimbledon runner-up, Djokovic is also the best mover across all surfaces. "As predicted, Novak Djokovic is really looking good. Many players have come and gone in the sport of tennis, but it seems some legends' records will never be beaten. Novak Djokovic, who has won 60 of his 81 career titles on hardcourts, had an 88.38% winning percentage on the surface during the 10-year time-frame, followed by Federer and then Nadal. Now, the four-time Wimbledon champ is threatening Roger Federer's claim as the world's best player on the surface. One of the many advantages to building clay courts is that its an eco-friendly surface. Point construction: Clay courts are the best surface to learn how to construct a point properly. The 35-year-old Djokovic - the world's top-ranked player - is now unbeaten in 14 matches this year. Maybe Querrey and Istomin could debate this topic in a bar. From 100Mph, the ball will travel at 92Mph after bouncing on the grass. Grass Courts (minimum 5 matches) Novak Djokovic looking forward to beating Nadal on his best surface as clay season beckons Novak Djokovic faced his first loss of the 2023 season on Friday, falling to Daniil Medvedev in. From the historical Wimbledon grass to more modern concrete courts to legendary Roland-Garros clay, today we focus on these different tennis court surfaces. Flying below radar has served Simona Halep well. Djokovic, one of the most high-profile athletes unvaccinated against Covid-19, said he is still waiting for an outcome having applied for special permission to enter the United States, where. "Roland Garros is the most open it has been in the last 10-15 years. Despite this, both surfaces are undeniable, and despite Djokovics dominance on hard courts, his dominance on clay courts should not distract from Federers exceptional record. The two world number ones have met in all four Grand Slam finals in the last four years. Medvedev faces Djokovic in the hard court Dubai Tennis Championships semi-final on Friday evening. The Moscow tennis player also took revenge from the blow he suffered at the Australian Open at the beginning of the year. Please logout and login again. The current era, dating back to 2000s, is one of the best baseline periods of modern history. Djokovic described Medvedev on Thursday as a player whose "quality is as tough as it gets" on hard courts - 16 of his 17 titles have come on that surface - and the Russian acknowledges he . Djokovics best surface is undoubtedly hard court. What dirt rats? He has won five Grand Slam titles on hard courts, as opposed to one on clay and one on a hard court, and has never lost a semi-final at the French Open on a hard court. In pics: When actress Srabanti Chatterjee stole hearts with her charm, Shah Rukh Khan, Dileep, Selena Gomez: When crazy fans trespassed into celeb homes, Steal-worthy saree collection of Meera Anil. Kevin was introduced to tennis by his father at the age of 3. This is likely due to the fact that Federer has never won a Grand Slam on clay in over a decade. Its a shame. I like grass but its a very tough surface, its a little bit tougher than hard courts, and thats where I think Novak is amazing winning so many grass-court tournaments, he told Eurosport. Novak Djokovic has had his say with Rafael Nadal 's 18-year streak inside the world's top 10 set to come to an end. The 20-time Grand Slam champion will also compete in the ATP Finals in Turin and the Davis Cup finals, while his presence at the Australian Open 2022 is uncertain (due to the well-known vaccination requirement). Andy Murray comes in at No. The question actually make sense and is worth asking. Anyone who has watched both of them on grass knows Fed is the superior squad. If he played more Queens-halle he would loose there quite a few times, clay would be a better surface for him. Becker picked defending champion Novak Djokovic as the man to beat at the Australian Open. At Wimbledon, the pair will almost certainly meet again. He has won three consecutive Wimbledon titles, the last of which was in 2011. But even if/when Djokovic wins another Slam on hard, he will only be the greatest in 1 surface out of 3: hard courts. Thats where tennis was born and initially played. Roger Federer has won more Grand Slam titles than any other male tennis player, making him the most successful tennis player of all time. Tennis quickly became a passion, and he started coaching at the early age of 16. Copyright 2023 Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All rights reserved. TheChampLair.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. But he has also won major titles on all the surfaces and even an Olympic Gold in Bejing 2008. My intensity is always the same in every game. He is the only male player to have won all nine of the Masters tournaments, and has done so twice. Relative to the field he definitely is better on grass than HC these days. He started coaching Maria Sharapova (though she quickly fired him) and previously worked with Andy Roddick to try to incorporate his aggressive mentality and style into the games of those top stars. Djokovic - whose worst surface is clay 3. The Serb had a 90.14% record on the surface as compared to the Swiss' 87.50% during the 2011-2020 period. Daniil's misstep at Indian Wells guaranteed Nole the almost mathematical certainty of ending 2021 at the top of the ATP ranking. Points need to be built strategically, its tough to hit a direct winner, and long rallies are quite common. Novak Djokovic leads early favourites for the French Open. I don't like it, honestly, I feel too much pressure.". Medvedev describes grass as the toughest surface to play on. 6. I think he has a good draw. Durability: The longest-lasting of the tennis court surfaces. If you make a statement that sounds wrong to me, you are stupid. So thats where grass is a little bit tough for me, like for example, I lost to [Tim] Van Rijthoven in the [s-Hertogenbosch] final last year and before the final I was feeling great, playing great, and he was having a good day, hitting bombs, after the match, I was like, okay, one hour, he just hit winners all over the place and I lost. Thanasi is a good guy and we have a great relationship. Fed, who was in his mid 30s when he won his first title at the age of 17, didnt get past the second round until he was 33. If both Nadal and Djokovic reach the final, the Spaniard will be viewed as a favorite to win. The 35-year-old revealed that they were an important part of why he kept on playing, so that he could give them a "good feeling" when they came to watch him compete. Murray - whose worst surface is clay I mean, when the biggest contenders at the French Open have clay as their worst surface, that says everything. In most cases, GOAT debates are devoid of substance. I dont know what their decision is going to be. His overall record on grass is very impressive, and he is definitely one of the best players in the world on this surface. Your login session has expired. After going 7-0 at this year's Wimbledon, Novak's grass court record is now (slightly) better than this hard court record. The Spanish player has won an outstanding number of titles on this surface, including 11 French Open, and reached an incredible streak of 81 consecutive wins on clay. Novak is always a favorite because he is so well-liked. But He has won nine of his last 11 major titles on the surface, and he has never been defeated on a clay court in a final. The French Open has been dominated by such players, especially in the open era. Serving incredibly well, he won all but. The international tennis federation (IFT) regulates and classifies these different tennis court surfaces by their theoretical speed. Novak started playing the game on clay as a child. Daniil Medvedev says that Novak Djokovics grass court game is unmatched. Overall, he is fine, this is the best surface for him. Camila Giorgi enchants Instagram with a cowgirl outfit! The main one resides in the fact that its a very demanding surface for players articulations. With eight titles, Novak Djokovic is almost certain to win another one and close out his career. Camila Giorgi enchants Instagram with a cowgirl outfit! Tennis beauty Maria Sharapova looks stunning in a bathrobe! He went on to explain how it is a little custom, saying in 2018 that it is a tradition. What prevented him from fulfilling his dream was the Russian, who clearly beat him in the final of the US Open last month. For reprint rights: Times Syndication Service. Its common knowledge that the tennis court surfaces highly influence the bounce of a tennis ball. Djokovic was around but couldn't compete with either of them. They were the Big Two, Fedal, the greatest rivalry yet in tennis history and the greatest players the sport had ever seen. His seven Wimbledon titles make up half of his all-time major count, and they are representative of his status as an American icon. In contrast, Nadal was dominant from the start, and Novak Djokovic was also very resilient. All about the most admired couples in tennis. Novaks traditional grass court game is very poor. The clay season brings with it its own challenges, the formemost of which is Rafael Nadal. Please logout and login again. Novak Djokovic is an incredibly fast athlete with success on all courts. and John Millman were truly riveting games.We are in the midst of another amazing tussle as I write this, between Rafael Nadal and Nick Kyrgios has just concluded.The Australian has seemed more composed during this tournament and all the good stuff that he has been doing for relief for the bushfire victims seems to have opened a new side of him," Becker added. And that quote encompasses precisely why Novak Djokovic must be considered the greatest male tennis player of all time. :lol: The best claycourters around are: 1. For you to understand how important a tennis court surface can be, grass courts are the perfect example. Despite winning five Grand Slam titles in total, Novak Djokovic has yet to reach the French Open final. Nadal 2. JavaScript is disabled. Playing on grass courts is quite rare for amateur players, however, if you have an upcoming tournament on this surface, try to get as much practice on this surface beforehand. March 3, 2023 Daniil Medvedev insists that he cannot fathom how Novak Djokovic manages to win so many matches on grass. Medvedev is amazed at the way that Djokovic always seems to find a way to earn a break even against the biggest and best serves in the game. Recently, a fan shared a video of her and 20-time Grand Slam champion training together. Several big servers and attacking players make the top 10, with John Isner at No. Grass courts. It only lasts 4 weeks with Wimbledon as the main event. 5, Milos Raonic at No. Despite his dominance on hard courts (83.3%), the Serb has a greater understanding of this surface, which gives him an advantage. Vajda claims that even though they were in the opposite box, they remain good friends. Grass is the historically prominent surface. He has won all of his Grand Slam titles on hard court, and has consistently been a top player on tour on this surface. It was a terrible feeling, I have to be honest. Nadal is a great hard court player, but his success on clay makes him the clear favorite in that format. Wimbledon titles have been won by the All England Club four times in a row since 2007, setting a new record. But following a 6-4, 6-4 defeat to Daniil Medvedev, the World No. From a practical point of view, ball impacts leave a mark on this surface, which is a great advantage when reviewing whether a ball was out. In terms of clay, Novak Djokovic is the best on the circuit, compared to the likes of Nadal, Federer, or Murray at Wimbledon. And perhaps the most surprising stat is that Roger Federer didn't have the best winning percentage on grasscourts during this period. Vajda said. Novak Djokovic might be the only player in the Open Era to be in the top 5 list of players on every surface (hardcourt, grass, clay); he has redefined what it means to be versatile. This is a list of the main career statistics of Serbian professional tennis player Novak Djokovic.Djokovic has won 93 ATP singles titles, including a joint-record of 22 Grand Slam singles titles (tied with Rafael Nadal), six ATP Finals titles, and a record 38 ATP Masters titles. He did, however, lose on hard courts, but he retains the number one ranking on both surfaces. ", Flavia Pennetta: "Novak Djokovic is always number 1! He has been playing flawless tennis and looks very very unbeatable on his favourite surface. Fewer mistakes: Make the judge's job easier thanks to the marks left by the ball. Nadal has won 62 clay court titles, nearly twice as many as Borg had in his lifetime. But either way, the 85-time tour-level titlist knows he has a chance at joining Laver as the second man in the Open Era to complete the calendar-year Grand Slam in less than two months. 2011 to 2020. He hopes to be able to turn out at Wimbledon this year after being barred from the 2022 event. What Is The Optimal Weight For A Tennis Racket? Can you guess what the impact would be on grass courts? Some surfaces confound them. Since then, he's won 6 AO and 3 USO. You need to learn the differences each surface will make on the rebound heights, the trajectories, the spins, and the overall game plan. This surface consists of a rubber court cover and is essentially used for practice. He has the ability to defend brilliantly and employs a powerful drop shot to great effect. There is no clear consensus on whether Novak Djokovic is the best tennis player on grass, but many experts believe he is. Despite losing slightly more points (84.1%) on clay courts than on other surfaces, Roger Federer has an advantage due to his better understanding of the surface. We are changing more and more tournaments from clay to hard surfaces but the hard surface is more aggressive so there are more and more injuries. The way he plays and attacks is similar toSampras at Wimbledon and Andre Agassi at the U.S. Open (though he has won just as many, if not more, titles than they respectively did). There are however some tournaments still being held on carpet courts such as the. Novaks traditional grass court game is extremely poor. Having only lost in one Roland Garros tournament and being the all-time Masters Series title holder, largely due to his clay dominance, are just a couple of things that stand out for the Spaniard. He has now won nineteen majors, just one. Why would anyone argue that Nadal won the 2008 and 2011 finals against Federer? This is crazy news. I knew I had to have started the match well today, because they are a dangerous opponent. Game, set and match, Djokovic. Players are unable to defend themselves, which is why Roger Federer has such a strong point. 'Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic went over the edge,' says Patrick Mouratoglou, Novak Djokovic counts to 1250 and moves closer to Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic: Probably no Serbia Open in 2024, Ion Tiriac wants his licence back, ATP Acapulco: Taro Daniel scores first top-10 win despite beating Novak Djokovic, ATP Dubai: Lorenzo Sonego keeps Rafael Nadal in top-10, Dominic Thiem: I'm constantly thinking of a life beyond tennis, Novak Djokovic joins Roger Federer, Pete Sampras on exclusive list. Each member of the "Big Four" today is an all-round player, but Djokovic is especially good on the hard courts. I actually lean towards yes. In the last decade grass seems to be the best surface to play the baseline game where you can trade shots and be safe. Djokovic is also good on grass because of his speed, agility, and power. In addition to his three Australian Open titles and two French Open titles, Federer has a total of ten US Open titles. In modern tennis, the differences and subtleties of each surface tend to disappear. He's better at Wimbledon than the USO, but best at the AO. With a flawless record in majors against Nadal, its easy to see why Novak Djokovic is so revered. He never beat Murray, never beat peak or prime Federer, never beat two of the Big-4 in the same tournament, never won Halle or Queens, and at his peak lost to Federer and Murray. If Djokovic wins tomorrow, he would have 5 Wimbledons and 10 hardcourt Slams, which would be the same considering there are twice as many hardcourt Slams. The Italian began by suggesting that "being in the spotlight" is not something you can avoid as a tennis player. This season on grass, Novak Djokovic has won eight titles, seven at Wimbledon and one at Eastbourne. This is because Djokovic is an extremely quick and agile player, and he is able to take advantage of the pace of the ball on these types of courts. He has a very strong serve and can hit winners from anywhere on the court. Your login session has expired. 1 didn't have to look too far to find the key reason behind his first loss of the season. He did not have a great end to 2019, so it is particularly satisfying that he has flown below the radar and kept his cool," Becker wrote. Borg was incredibly frustrating to play against, as he naturally knew where to move and at what times. Roger Federer doesn't figure in the top 10 of this list, since the cut-off used for it was a minimum of 100 matches played on the surface during the period. 1 Novak Djokovic had the best hardcourt winning percentage on the ATP tour during the period from 2011 to 2020. Check here, Be the first one to comment on this story. Johnny Mac was an icon for American tennis and had the reputation as a "bad boy," but his successful career will be remembered for many decades to come. Lets dig into the characteristics of this surface. Djokovic also focused on the work he does during the change: "Every player is different. The Polish #1 is one of the best in the world on this surface and he has looked the part this week, defeating Pavel Kotov 7-6, 6-1 in his opening match. On indoor hardcourts, Roger Federer is in pole position with an 83.50% winning percentage record. While it might not look like much, it is the highest number of matches Nadal has lost on his favorite surface to a single player. In terms of clay court performances at Wimbledon, Novak Djokovic is the better clay court player than Roger Federer, Andy Murray, and Nadal. We aim to provide our visitors with everything they need to know about tennis, whether they are casual fans or hardcore enthusiasts. Within hours of the defeat, the Serb had turned his attention to the next task at hand -- beating his arch-rival Rafael Nadal on clay. Twenty-one-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic defeated Marin Cilic in the final of Tel Aviv today, 6-3, 6-4, which not only gave him the 89th ATP title of his career, but also made him the . This viral Daikon Radish Pickle has sprite as an ingredient! Overall, he has a great work ethic. This rivalry is as close as it gets between these two teams. In this article, I will try to tackle every concern and question you may have about the subject. He has been playing flawless tennis and looks very very unbeatable on his favourite surface. He is also no slouch on hard courts, in addition to Federer. Additionally, Djokovic is a very consistent player, and he is able to use his court coverage and baseline game to wear down opponents on faster courts. Djokovic has won four Wimbledon titles and has reached the final six times, including five consecutive years from 2014 to 2018. Carpet courts are mainly found indoors. "I just saw a little bit of his first round match because we had practice at a similar time. He is lucky to win so many over the weak field n slow surface , in 90s and early 20s he would have been smoked, Novak entered his prime in 2011 (as evidenced by his winning 3 slams and 5 masters before somebody says that 'prime' doesn't exist). However, the ability to adapt to each surface is what separates the good from the great. The former World No 1 believes that it only takes coming up against a player serving well to see a player forced into winning tiebreaks to stay in a match. You see, if a ball travels at 100Mph before it hits the ground, a bounce on a clay surface will reduce its speed to 78Mph. Even though big serves lose their advantage and this surface is quite forgiving, some players, notoriously known as offensive, have won the French Grand Slam tournament. The reason behind this is that it builds the most complete players. Thanasi Kokkinakis bowed out in the second round of Wimbledon 2022, losing to Novak Djokovic 6-7 (7-4) 6-2. His statistics are arguably the best of anyone, but it is his mental edge and sheer infallibility at his peak which make him number one. Im just going to wait for it and hopefully, I can play Wimbledon this year and show some great results.. According to Slovak professional tennis coach and former player Marian Vajda, Novak Djokovic should be able to win the 2022 Wimbledon Championships considering his prowess on grass courts. So whether you're looking to learn more about the sport or just stay up-to-date on the latest news, we've got you covered. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. On the ATP World Tour website, you can check the FedEx Reliability Zone to see players' winning percentages and indices on different surfaces over their entire careers. These injuries are caused by the lack of flexibility and softness of this surface. Tennis beauty Maria Sharapova looks stunning in a bathrobe! In an interview with Spanish media outlet Dairio de Mallorca, Medvedev predicted that Novak Djokovic will be regarded as one of the greatest grass-court players of all time. So remember, if you want to be a complete player, clay courts are where you should practice. Because you can really just get a guy who is going to serve good this day and you have to win the tie-breaks. In addition to winning eight grass titles, the Serb also won seven at Wimbledon and one at Eastbourne. When he was on the cusp of breaking Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's NBA all-time scoring record, LeBron James recently admitted it, saying: "I feel like I'm the best basketball player that ever played the game. In terms of grass, he is excellent. Furthermore, he is catching up to two other grass court greats, Mats Wilander and Ivan Lendl. The slower the hard court the better, as he has won a multitude of ATP1000 titles. Just a few days ago, he confirmed that hell play in Paris, Turin, and the Davis Cup. According to him, Novak Djokovic has the potential to win the 2022 Wimbledon title. Is Novak Djokovic the best clay court player ever? The Serb has a winning percentage of 79.6% on grass courts, which has been his best form for the last few years, and he has won the French Open for the last two years. Since the year 2000, I have made the semi-finals of Wimbledon 11 times. In 28 of their 59 matches on clay, he has won 28, while only two have been on hard courts. If not, the Serb will turn his attention to the Monte-Carlo Masters, at which point he admitted that he will take some time off to prepare for the clay swing. Novak Djokovic of Serbia lifts the trophy after beating Stefanos . There is no definitive answer to this question as Djokovic has had success on all court surfaces throughout his career. Despite his impressive track record on grass courts, the Swiss star has an 87.4% winning percentage, but Novak Djokovic has more experience on this surface. Novak Djokovic has finally given some positive news regarding his participation in the ATP tour. This surface has seen the birth of absolutely dominant players such as Rafael Nadal, also known as the King of Clay.