Clay over the Slower Hardcourts

JSouza

New User
Having watched many clay matches already this year, on the Golden swing and now in Europe, I am beginning to feel that there is more value in watching matches played on clay than on, say, the Melbourne Plexicushion.

The slower hardcourts that we see during the early parts of the year, I believe, produce a more homogenised style of play. I love watching the AO, don't get me wrong, but atm, Im really enthralled with whats going on in Barcelona, Stuttgart, etc.

Clay encourages you to make use of spin to create angles on the court. Theres so much moving of your opponent around, to construct an opening. It adds a chess-like motif to the match. Players do sneak in for volleys, and theres excitement even in that, as well as all the dropshots used, and the slicing and dicing that often ensues.

Like HC, it has a huge physicality element, but moving on clay, with its smoothness and sliding, seems more of an art form, to me.

What do you think? Why no love for this beautiful style of tennis before us?
 

Lukhas

Legend
I agree. I dislike slow hardcourt. Clay is more elegant in the way you play. Sometimes there are more or less justified reasons (balls being fast at IW), but the rest of the time, no. I don't need to watch fitness contests anymore.
 

mikeler

Moderator
I'm a clay court fan both watching and playing. Sliding into shots is a thing of joy and beauty.
 

FreeBird

Legend
Having watched many clay matches already this year, on the Golden swing and now in Europe, I am beginning to feel that there is more value in watching matches played on clay than on, say, the Melbourne Plexicushion.

The slower hardcourts that we see during the early parts of the year, I believe, produce a more homogenised style of play. I love watching the AO, don't get me wrong, but atm, Im really enthralled with whats going on in Barcelona, Stuttgart, etc.

Clay encourages you to make use of spin to create angles on the court. Theres so much moving of your opponent around, to construct an opening. It adds a chess-like motif to the match. Players do sneak in for volleys, and theres excitement even in that, as well as all the dropshots used, and the slicing and dicing that often ensues.

Like HC, it has a huge physicality element, but moving on clay, with its smoothness and sliding, seems more of an art form, to me.

What do you think? Why no love for this beautiful style of tennis before us?

AO 2013 had comparatively fast hard courts. AO 2012 had painfully slower. One thing is for sure, Watching Clay Matches is a much more pleasing experience as compared to watching those played on miserable HCs of Miami and Indian Wells.
 
D

Deleted member 77403

Guest
I prefer clay to the slow hard courts also. I prefer the faster HC post Wimbledon.
 

Bender

G.O.A.T.
Clay and grass are both fun to watch - the sliding and point construction is evident. Super fast tennis bores me a bit.

That said, HCs like the one at AO and USO could do with some speeding up, because super slow HC tennis is equally as boring as super fast court tennis IMO.
 
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D

Deleted member 307496

Guest
Clay is the most natural surface, next to grass.
 

Lukhas

Legend
Clay is piled bricks, so while it has nothing synthetic most of the time, it isn't the most natural surface. Not that I don't like clay though, it saves me so many shoes... :)
 

coloskier

Legend
Yes, I think we should change all slow hardcourts to fast hardcourts. It will save on the knees because the points are over much quicker. No??
 

Lukhas

Legend
Except, there are no big tournaments, that are played on real clay.
117f5_ORIG-NotSureIfSerious.jpg
 

moonballs

Hall of Fame
Agree with the chess like comment. I play as much on the hartru courts as possible, because it is really more fun than hardcourt. I am anxiously waiting for our towns clay courts to be up in the first week of may. (This is in Ny. We have a late start due to cold weather).
 

Bender

G.O.A.T.
Agree with the chess like comment. I play as much on the hartru courts as possible, because it is really more fun than hardcourt. I am anxiously waiting for our towns clay courts to be up in the first week of may. (This is in Ny. We have a late start due to cold weather).

I like tactical games - something about blasting winners 24/7 like they did on say 90s grass is so dull and not particularly "intelligent".
 

NatF

Bionic Poster
We have enough clay, too much hardcourt and not enough grass. Clay is better than slow hardcourt though, I find Miami so boring.
 

Netspirit

Hall of Fame
With hard courts as slow as they are today (almost no net play, high bounce, players miles behind the baseline) they might as well switch to clay, it at least allows sliding.

However, it must be fast, blue, non-slippery clay to make it enjoyable.

My favorite surface is green, lush grass. The initial rounds of Wimbledon are joyful to watch: http://youtu.be/v2naW9WCF18
 
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SLD76

G.O.A.T.
With hard courts as slow as they are today (almost no net play, high bounce, players miles behind the baseline) they might as well switch to clay, it at least allows sliding.

However, it must be fast, blue, non-slippery clay to make it enjoyable.

I like the cut of your gib.

No, its not a come on
 

DragonBlaze

Hall of Fame
Interesting how basically everyone here is in agreement that slow are hardcourts are the bane of our existence :lol:

Clay masters are definitely better than watching Indian Wells/Miami. It's only because Nadal has had such a stronghold during all of clay season that the end result was always predictable, hence the constant complaints on these boards about it being boring (it was the same for neutral fans during Fed's peak).

I think in the years to come, as Nadal starts slowing down and we get a greater variety of champions, people will start appreciating the clay season more than the dreadfully monotonous summer hard court swing.
 

Relinquis

Hall of Fame
hardcourt needs more variety. that's the only superior thing it has going for it, that it can be made with varying degrees of speed/bounce.

I love playing and watching Clay court tennis. If you haven't played on clay, find the nearest court and play a few sets. You'll be smiling from ear to ear by the end of it.
 

SLD76

G.O.A.T.
Interesting how basically everyone here is in agreement that slow are hardcourts are the bane of our existence :lol:

Clay masters are definitely better than watching Indian Wells/Miami. It's only because Nadal has had such a stronghold during all of clay season that the end result was always predictable, hence the constant complaints on these boards about it being boring (it was the same for neutral fans during Fed's peak).

I think in the years to come, as Nadal starts slowing down and we get a greater variety of champions, people will start appreciating the clay season more than the dreadfully monotonous summer hard court swing.

Only cincy is still worth watching
 
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