Forget clay, it should be a thing of the past.

[Seany]

All the worlds greatest sports are contested on the same surface, which requires the greatest ability to get to the top, and all the athletes in these sports play on this surface growing up trying to improve and be the best in the world.

Football, Soccer, Baseball, Golf...I could go on.

It is time to get rid of clay courts, it is holding back every single player on the tour from fulfilling their potential. Those who grew up on clay courts exclusively, adapt their game to the clay courts, they may well be fantastic players but when it gets to the hard and grass courts, nearly all of them are sitting ducks, and they are at too late an age to do anything about it, it is a huge flaw in tennis, all athletes from across the globe should be able to be compared equally, but IMO those who are from countries where they only supply clay courts are at a disadvantage.

So what about players who grow up on hard courts?

Same argument, the current ATP system does not allow them to fulfil their potential, when the clay court season comes, these hard courts specialists are again sitting ducks, and they never gain points here, and guess what it is too late for them to do anything about it....but luckily for them, the majority of the season is on faster courts.

But you see what I'm saying, having clay courts puts everyone at a disadvantage one way or another. The way forward in tennis is to:

a) Make the entire ATP season on hard courts, but still keep the small crass court season.

b) Every latin country that teaches their kids on clay, must start replacing these with hard courts, and start teaching kids on hard courts. That way it will be bred into them from an early age.

Why keep the grass? Because it gives nobody an advantage, and it is reasonably similar to hard courts, no one grows up on grass courts.

Right but I bet a lot of people will day "Tennis will lose variety"...
You play in a different city every week, in different altitudes, in different temperatures, with different winds, courts with different speeds, and different stadiums....Me thinks there is still a heck of a lot of variety there.

Let's face the facts, tennis needs to catch up with other sports, we need to put our players on a level playing field, until we do so we will never have a ranking system that truly represents the talent that each player possesses...And heck clay court tennis is boring to watch compared to faster courts, it would attract higher TV audiences and higher crowds at matches...There is a reason the FO has easily the worst attendance record of the 4 slams

My 2 cents...

 

[G_T_S]

You are wrong...none of the sports you listed are played on the same surface throughout the entire season.

 

[dirtballer]

Baseball, football, and soccer are played on both grass and artificial surface. The games are very different on the two surfaces. Golf uses different grasses on the greens (Bermuda, Zoyza sp, Rye, etc.) which all play differently. Also, links set-ups are vastly different than other set-ups. Pro tennis is so intense that everyone would break down if they played the entire year on hard courts.

 

[malakas]

baseball,football,american footbal...all are different sports.
Tennis is tennis.It's meant to be played on different surfaces.If you don't like,there are plenty of other sports to follow.

 

[G_T_S]

Baseball, football, and soccer are played on both grass and artificial surface. The games are very different on the two surfaces. Golf uses different grasses on the greens (Bermuda, Zoyza sp, Rye, etc.) which all play differently. Also, links set-ups are vastly different than other set-ups. Pro tennis is so intense that everyone would break down if they played the entire year on hard courts.

Thanks dirtabller - was too lazy to dig into the specifics you mentioned

Agree with you 100%.

 

[gj011]

This thread is a joke.

 

[kabob]

This thread is a laugh. Do you know how many injuries, acute and chronic, people get with their knees, ankles, feet, and hips due to the unforgiving nature of hard courts? Rather than having thousands with joint fatigue and torn ligaments, you'd rather condemn millions. Brilliant.

And this coming from someone who's only played on clay courts once. But I grew up with chronic ankle pain and now a mild case of sciatica after years of pounding the pavement on hard courts.

 

[Seany]

The differences is surfaces in the other sports, comes nothing close to the difference created between hard and clay.

Different grasses in golf lol, the difference is so minimal and it is impossible to train for, unlike clay.

Al the other sports involve running, the way the ball bounces on the surface is not the key of the game, where as on clay it is.

 

[shawn1122]

Then why not replace hard courts with clay and play most of the game on clay? The game is what it is, and the truth is that most of the greatest players grew up on clay because it teaches consistency and rewards that before it rewards power. The players that are highest ranked are the ones that can adapt their game to every surface, like Federer and Nadal. How is this unfair ranking? If you can't adapt, you pay for it, this is how sports should be.

 

[G_T_S]

The differences is surfaces in the other sports, comes nothing close to the difference created between hard and clay.

Different grasses in golf lol, the difference is so minimal and it is impossible to train for, unlike clay.

Al the other sports involve running, the way the ball bounces on the surface is not the key of the game, where as on clay it is.

Don't mean to harp on you, but once again, I think you are quite wrong here...

Football on Astroturf, or football in a dome, or football in the heat vs. football in the snow?

Baseball pitching in a windless dome or in the great outdoors, on grass vs. artifical?

I don't want to diminish in any way, the challenges that tennis players face with different surfaces, but to dismiss this as something that doesn't occur in other sports at similar levels is WAY too simplistic.

 

[TennisFan481]

Stupid.

Even track stars compete on faster and slower tracks...and over different distances.

Yeah, let's get rid of variety in tennis. Can't have dat!!!111 Variety is a bad thing, yo.

Do you like eating the same thing every night for dinner, too?

 

[G_T_S]

The differences is surfaces in the other sports, comes nothing close to the difference created between hard and clay.

Different grasses in golf lol, the difference is so minimal and it is impossible to train for, unlike clay.

Al the other sports involve running, the way the ball bounces on the surface is not the key of the game, where as on clay it is.

And since you focussed on golf, I should also mention that it's variety is just as wide...

High rough vs. short rough, wide fairwaiys vs narrow, fast greens vs. slow greens, deep bunkers vs. shallow beach...

One has to understand the intricacies of each sport before making assertions...

It's the same reason why fans of other sports might simply say that tennis is nothing more than whacking a ball and back and forth...what skill is there in that?

 

[Seany]

And since you focussed on golf, I should also mention that it's variety is just as wide...

High rough vs. short rough, wide fairwaiys vs narrow, fast greens vs. slow greens, deep bunkers vs. shallow beach...

One has to understand the intricacies of each sport before making assertions...

It's the same reason why fans of other sports might simply say that tennis is nothing more than whacking a ball and back and forth...what skill is there in that?

And tell me do you have high rough specialists, low rough specialists? no

Do teams who play soccer in snow every play teams that play in hot fry heat? Hardly ever.

There is a divide in skills in tennis that shouldnt be there, and for clay court specialists it is bred into them at an early age and there is nothing they can do about it.

 

[Brned]

Why is it "holding back every single player on the tour from fulfilling their potential" ? I think it is the opposite... Different courts with all kinds of speed/bounce suits different aspects of someone's game forcing the players to develop and adapt (take Nadal for example) and that is the complete opposite of "holding back", unless you're only taking results in consideration

 

[Seany]

Why is it "holding back every single player on the tour from fulfilling their potential" ? I think it is the opposite... Different courts with all kinds of speed/bounce suits different aspects of someone's game forcing the players to develop and adapt (take Nadal for example) and that is the complete opposite of "holding back", unless you're only taking results in consideration

Yes I am talking results wise.....of course everyone will naturally adapt to their least favourite surface, but all kids should grow up playing in the same conditions, and be able to compete fairly from an early age....there shouldn't be this "delay"

Imagine a kid from Brazil has been training all his life on clay, as they do, he goes the states to try and play high level tournaments....he's going to get creamed by other players, even if he is better than them.

Or the other option is stay at home and win all the tournaments in brazil, but this puts a handicap on him for later in his career when he turns pro, because faster courts will be so foreign to him, and it also creates a global divide in tennis that is in no other sport.

If these countries would start providing a huge number of facilities that provided all court surfaces, I would retract my argument, but until they do, I stand by my case.

 

[rod99]

this is probably the most ridiculous post i've ever read. congrats.

 

[G_T_S]

And tell me do you have high rough specialists, low rough specialists? no

Do teams who play soccer in snow every play teams that play in hot fry heat? Hardly ever.

There is a divide in skills in tennis that shouldnt be there, and for clay court specialists it is bred into them at an early age and there is nothing they can do about it.

In golf, the high rough completely changes the game of someone who can drive the ball far, but with less accuracy. When the rough is low, they can swing for the fences because distance overcomes the lesser accuracy if you find yourself in the low rough. When the rough is high, a guy like Tiger Woods is all-of-a-sudden thrown off his game...he now has to be timid and hit a lot shorter because getting into the rough is treachorous. Once again, it's the intricacies that a golf fan would understand completely...at the same time, that golf fan would have no clue to the greater scheme of things that occurs in tennis. I'm really getting the sense that you only have a passing knowlege of professional golf.

As far as soccer goes, I don't know much about it...what I do know at a basic level, is that some soccer leagues play outdoors, some play indoors on a much smaller field, where all the angles are different and there's no wind or other elements to contend with. Is soccer weather hotter on the steamy fields Brazil vs. a nippy cool day on the fields of Englnad?

Don't know...not enough soccer knowldege to figure that out on my own

 

[cghipp]

Clearly the OP is too young to know what hard courts will do to your body over the long haul! I still prefer hard courts because it fits my game better, but my feet and knees definitely prefer clay.

Edited to say: if you're going to give one up, give up hard courts! Players' careers would tend to last longer.

 

[Seany]

In golf, the high rough completely changes the game of someone who can drive the ball far, but with less accuracy. When the rough is low, they can swing for the fences because distance overcomes the lesser accuracy if you find yourself in the low rough. When the rough is high, a guy like Tiger Woods is all-of-a-sudden thrown off his game...he now has to be timid and hit a lot shorter because getting into the rough is treachorous. Once again, it's the intricacies that a golf fan would understand completely...at the same time, that golf fan would have no clue to the greater scheme of things that occurs in tennis. I'm really getting the sense that you only have a passing knowlege of professional golf.

As far as soccer goes, I don't know much about it...what I do know at a basic level, is that some soccer leagues play outdoors, some play indoors on a much smaller field, where all the angles are different and there's no wind or other elements to contend with. Is soccer weather hotter on the steamy fields Brazil vs. a nippy cool day on the fields of Englnad?

Don't know...not enough soccer knowldege to figure that out on my own

I get your argument, and I do follow professional golf....but if you're telling me Tiger woods is all of a sudden more beatable on a course with longer rough, I would disagree, and I think most golf fans would....if he hits a high % of fairways, which he has the ability to do by taking a bit off his driving, it makes no difference what so ever....he is going to win the tournament if he is playing fairly well.....yes it slightly affects his game, but you compare it to say putting roger federer on a very slow clay court, every pro in the field feels is more vulnerable, because he can't execute his game......

The difference between what federer would have to do to win, and what woods would have to do is huge (not a ******* btw).

 

[FiveO]

The differences is surfaces in the other sports, comes nothing close to the difference created between hard and clay.

Different grasses in golf lol, the difference is so minimal and it is impossible to train for, unlike clay.

Al the other sports involve running, the way the ball bounces on the surface is not the key of the game, where as on clay it is.

I suspect this might be a stab at a joke but:

If you think it's varied now you should have watched 15 years ago and before.

Clay is probably the best surface to develop young talent on, not just players of Borg and Nadal's more extreme styles in their respective eras but the other best of the best, Rosewall, Laver, Federer all have clay backgrounds, some players you might not expect, like McEnroe who honed their games on har-tru.

Diversity has always been the test presented to the greats, once grass was the greasy fastest and clay the grinding slowest. I like the diversity hards brought to the mix but I would prefer that some part of the schedule bring back the quick, low bounces of the past back.

The clay stays.

5

 

[Seany]

Clearly the OP is too young to know what hard courts will do to your body over the long haul! I still prefer hard courts because it fits my game better, but my feet and knees definitely prefer clay.

Edited to say: if you're going to give one up, give up hard courts! Players' careers would tend to last longer.

I'm fine with that, as long as we stick to 1 surface (plus a small grass season).

I just say hard courts, because it is more fun to watch.

 

[Brned]

Yes I am talking results wise.....of course everyone will naturally adapt to their least favourite surface, but all kids should grow up playing in the same conditions, and be able to compete fairly from an early age....there shouldn't be this "delay"

Imagine a kid from Brazil has been training all his life on clay, as they do, he goes the states to try and play high level tournaments....he's going to get creamed by other players, even if he is better than them.

Or the other option is stay at home and win all the tournaments in brazil, but this puts a handicap on him for later in his career when he turns pro, because faster courts will be so foreign to him, and it also creates a global divide in tennis that is in no other sport.

If these countries would start providing a huge number of facilities that provided all court surfaces, I would retract my argument, but until they do, I stand by my case.

I don't wanna be an ass but I'm from Brazil and I don't think that finding a hardcourt is that difficult actualy the only courts I've found where I can play for free are in fact hardcourts... But we do have a lack of tournaments held on hc I give you that

Also you talk like latin countries don't have good hc players, but shoud I remind you that both del Potro and Nalbandian prefers fast courts over clay?

And I almost forgot, "If you develop players more on clay ... they will become better all-court players, even ... better fast-court players," by Patrick McEnroe http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/tennis/news/story?id=4162335

 

[_maxi]

1) You are nuts....
2) Anyway, the same guys that are reaching the final rounds in clay tournaments are reaching the final rounds in other surfaces.. we don't have clay courts specialists no more in this years.

 

[G_T_S]

I get your argument, and I do follow professional golf....but if you're telling me Tiger woods is all of a sudden more beatable on a course with longer rough, I would disagree, and I think most golf fans would....if he hits a high % of fairways, which he has the ability to do by taking a bit off his driving, it makes no difference what so ever....he is going to win the tournament if he is playing fairly well.....yes it slightly affects his game, but you compare it to say putting roger federer on a very slow clay court, every pro in the field feels is more vulnerable, because he can't execute his game......

The difference between what federer would have to do to win, and what woods would have to do is huge (not a ******* btw).

In all honesty, it's a relief that you do know something about professional golf.

I still think you're simplifying the varying conditions golfers face at different course setups, but I'll move past that and focus on your Tiger scenario.

To me, the subtle difference Tiger encounters at a different setup that "slightly affects his game" is directly comparable to a Roger Federer who was unbeatable in his prime, other than those encounters with Nadal on clay. His dominant game was more than enough to get him to the finals of numerous clay events, including 4 straight French Open finals - but on three of those occassions, the slight difference that clay thew into the mix, meant he had to walk away without the trophy...until this year of course.

To truly understand pro sports, one has to truly appreciate how fine a margin there is between success and failure. No matter what pro sport you're talking about, this fine line will always exist and a careful examination of the stats and records, will usually reveal a trend where the conditions of the specific event in question, had an apparent impact on the final result.

As for me - given my golf game - give me links course, with a ton of wind, pot bunkers galore, and I guarantee you that I'd shoot at least one less stroke per round

 

[JeMar]

I personally like the variety.

 

[prattle128]

You are an idiot, clay isn't going away any time soon, and I hope that it never does.

 

[Seany]

Ok I'll give, seeing as G_T_S has put a solid argument.

I do not believe this post either, it's a copy and paste from mens tennis forum which somebody asked me to try and argue out, because he though you were all stupid enough I could talk around.

I thought I put up a good fight, but I didn't get 1 vote of confidence

 

[Aldi Patron]

Ok I'll give, seeing as G_T_S has put a solid argument.

I do not believe this post either, it's a copy and paste from mens tennis forum which somebody asked me to try and argue out, because he though you were all stupid enough I could talk around.

I thought I put up a good fight, but I didn't get 1 vote of confidence

Are you trying to start another war? We haven't been on speaking terms with them since a series of skirmishes back in 1996. Six people died. The peace has been uneasy, but it's all we have.

 

[slicekick95]

You are an idiot, clay isn't going away any time soon, and I hope that it never does.

You said that before he said he is jokoing. There is a difference between calling a post ridiculous and calling someone an idiot. He posted an OPINION (although ridiculous) and backed it up with reasoning. You came in here and callled him an idiot. Why? It is not like he gave unsubstantiated reasons like "clay hurts you ankles". Of course, it doesnt matter because he was joking. But thats a post that you came of really a$$y for no apparent reason.

*rant over*

 

[G_T_S]

Ok I'll give, seeing as G_T_S has put a solid argument.

I do not believe this post either, it's a copy and paste from mens tennis forum which somebody asked me to try and argue out, because he though you were all stupid enough I could talk around.

I thought I put up a good fight, but I didn't get 1 vote of confidence

May I humbly submit my vote of confidence for the fact that you put forth a reaonsable proposition!

The variatons in tennis surfaces are definitely more transparent and easy to see in tennis - even though the ATP is slowly making these highly visually differing surfaces practically the same as each other with each passing year!

I think the more important question is whether this so-called "homegenization" should continue or not. In my opinion, the answer is "NO", which really gets back to addressing your original question. The way I see it - the more variety the better! :twisted:

 

[Seany]

Why thank you G_T_S.

This thread stayed more civilized than I expected in the first place. Oh and it's great watching Tiger swinging for the stars when there is short rough isn't it? No matter how far left or right he goes, he always seems to scramble par

 

[G_T_S]

Why thank you G_T_S.

This thread stayed more civilized than I expected in the first place. Oh and it's great watching Tiger swinging for the stars when there is short rough isn't it? No matter how far left or right he goes, he always seems to scramble par

Fully agree!

About the only thing that comes close is Mickelson - in his better moments, his scrambling can be even more mind-boggling!

Suffice it to say that we are fortunate to have Nadal, Fed, Tiger, Mickelson, Kobe, Lebron, Crosby etc. etc. to still keep us entertained, despite the amazing greats who were there before them yesterday, and decades ago.

 

[Seany]

Yep, and I don't take it for granted like some people, I feel privileged every time I see them play on TV or live, saw fed at wimbledon the last 3 years...I was in awe.

Hope to see Tiger live one day...I'm from the UK so I don't even watch basketball, but to just read the headlines and know there are greats in other sports too, makes me feel good.

 

[wilsonplayer]

Personally, I think the US should have more clay courts (both true clay and Har Tru) instead of having all the best juniors play on hard courts 24/7. I think tennis could really benefit from having more events on clay. Clay provides for longer rallies with a more athletic contest if you will. Who really wants to see grass court tennis all the time with an average rally count of 3 or 4? It's time to have even more clay events.

 

[Nadal_Freak]

One of the worst threads ever.

 

[G_T_S]

Yep, and I don't take it for granted like some people, I feel privileged every time I see them play on TV or live, saw fed at wimbledon the last 3 years...I was in awe.

Hope to see Tiger live one day...I'm from the UK so I don't even watch basketball, but to just read the headlines and know there are greats in other sports too, makes me feel good.

I have only been lucky enough to see Tiger live once. Mickelson was also there.

The lasting impressions I have...

Mickelson was so tall (and bulky in a non-negative way) that his presence versus everyone else was striking. In contrast, it was amazing to see the kind of touch he had when practicing his short game at the putting greens.

But Tiger was overwhelming when he stepped up to the tee. It's not hard to see if you pay close attention when watching on TV, but the absolute force that he put into his drives was light years beyond anyone else in the field. I'm guessing that he's toned things down a bit in recent years, but it was a difference at the time, that was blatanly magnified when seeing it live.

Times have changed, and Tiger is older now - he's just not the same. He may go on to achieve better and greater things, but it won't be the same, even though I will fuly respect his accomplishmets. Dare I say that I may be feeling the same way about Fed in the coming months - he may go on to reach greater heights, but it will be a differrent Fed vs. the one who was almost unbeatable, untouchable, a few years back! :shock:

 

[G_T_S]

One of the worst threads ever.

My apologies for participating in it, almighty Freak

 

[NickC]

This thread sucks.

The OP is a moron.

 

[Duzza]

All the worlds greatest sports are contested on the same surface, which requires the greatest ability to get to the top, and all the athletes in these sports play on this surface growing up trying to improve and be the best in the world.

What takes the greatest ability to get to the top is mastering all surfaces. And clay is one of the only things keeping me play tennis, anyone who could suffer injuries from hardcourts loves a good hit on clay....


So are we getting rid of Grass and every single variant of hard court except the US Open stuff too?

 

[Seany]

It's funny when people don't read entire threads before they post

 

[ElMagoElGato]

The variatons in tennis surfaces are definitely more transparent and easy to see in tennis - even though the ATP is slowly making these highly visually differing surfaces practically the same as each other with each passing year!

Is there another thread talking about this? I feel grass has almost died and clay is dying now.

 

[ClubHoUno]

All the worlds greatest sports are contested on the same surface, which requires the greatest ability to get to the top, and all the athletes in these sports play on this surface growing up trying to improve and be the best in the world.

Football, Soccer, Baseball, Golf...I could go on.

It is time to get rid of clay courts, it is holding back every single player on the tour from fulfilling their potential. Those who grew up on clay courts exclusively, adapt their game to the clay courts, they may well be fantastic players but when it gets to the hard and grass courts, nearly all of them are sitting ducks, and they are at too late an age to do anything about it, it is a huge flaw in tennis, all athletes from across the globe should be able to be compared equally, but IMO those who are from countries where they only supply clay courts are at a disadvantage.

So what about players who grow up on hard courts?

Same argument, the current ATP system does not allow them to fulfil their potential, when the clay court season comes, these hard courts specialists are again sitting ducks, and they never gain points here, and guess what it is too late for them to do anything about it....but luckily for them, the majority of the season is on faster courts.

But you see what I'm saying, having clay courts puts everyone at a disadvantage one way or another. The way forward in tennis is to:

a) Make the entire ATP season on hard courts, but still keep the small crass court season.

b) Every latin country that teaches their kids on clay, must start replacing these with hard courts, and start teaching kids on hard courts. That way it will be bred into them from an early age.

Why keep the grass? Because it gives nobody an advantage, and it is reasonably similar to hard courts, no one grows up on grass courts.

Right but I bet a lot of people will day "Tennis will lose variety"...
You play in a different city every week, in different altitudes, in different temperatures, with different winds, courts with different speeds, and different stadiums....Me thinks there is still a heck of a lot of variety there.

Let's face the facts, tennis needs to catch up with other sports, we need to put our players on a level playing field, until we do so we will never have a ranking system that truly represents the talent that each player possesses...And heck clay court tennis is boring to watch compared to faster courts, it would attract higher TV audiences and higher crowds at matches...There is a reason the FO has easily the worst attendance record of the 4 slams

My 2 cents...

You should take up badminton, my friend :twisted:

Red clay is what I've grown up playing on, and it's the most soft of all surfaces to play tennis on. It diminishes the strain on tennis players legs and ancles and prevents many injuries. Hard court courts are he_ll for ATP players to play on, and you already hear guys like Nadal & Federer and other top players complain about how long the hardcourt season already is - and you Mr. Genius suggests the entire season should be played on hard courts :twisted:

The sole of tennis is played on red clay - and The French Open would never be the same if not played on red clay. Tennis is a game played on different surfaces throughout the season and the person who best adapts to the different surfaces and has the best overall game will be the number one player on the ATP Tour - and currently his name is Nadal, Federer a close second at the moment.

If you like a racquet sport played all year on the same surface, I suggest you take up badminton :evil:

 

[ClubHoUno]

Is there another thread talking about this? I feel grass has almost died and clay is dying now.

Where are you from - Pluto

In Europe - red clay is the norm, and red clay is staying for a loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong time :twisted:

Hard court equals injuries !

 

[ronalditop]

This thread is a joke.

oh no! :shock: hes back...

 

[tennisplaya]

All the worlds greatest sports are contested on the same surface, which requires the greatest ability to get to the top, and all the athletes in these sports play on this surface growing up trying to improve and be the best in the world.

Football, Soccer, Baseball, Golf...I could go on.

It is time to get rid of clay courts, it is holding back every single player on the tour from fulfilling their potential. Those who grew up on clay courts exclusively, adapt their game to the clay courts, they may well be fantastic players but when it gets to the hard and grass courts, nearly all of them are sitting ducks, and they are at too late an age to do anything about it, it is a huge flaw in tennis, all athletes from across the globe should be able to be compared equally, but IMO those who are from countries where they only supply clay courts are at a disadvantage.

So what about players who grow up on hard courts?

Same argument, the current ATP system does not allow them to fulfil their potential, when the clay court season comes, these hard courts specialists are again sitting ducks, and they never gain points here, and guess what it is too late for them to do anything about it....but luckily for them, the majority of the season is on faster courts.

But you see what I'm saying, having clay courts puts everyone at a disadvantage one way or another. The way forward in tennis is to:

a) Make the entire ATP season on hard courts, but still keep the small crass court season.

b) Every latin country that teaches their kids on clay, must start replacing these with hard courts, and start teaching kids on hard courts. That way it will be bred into them from an early age.

Why keep the grass? Because it gives nobody an advantage, and it is reasonably similar to hard courts, no one grows up on grass courts.

Right but I bet a lot of people will day "Tennis will lose variety"...
You play in a different city every week, in different altitudes, in different temperatures, with different winds, courts with different speeds, and different stadiums....Me thinks there is still a heck of a lot of variety there.

Let's face the facts, tennis needs to catch up with other sports, we need to put our players on a level playing field, until we do so we will never have a ranking system that truly represents the talent that each player possesses...And heck clay court tennis is boring to watch compared to faster courts, it would attract higher TV audiences and higher crowds at matches...There is a reason the FO has easily the worst attendance record of the 4 slams

My 2 cents...

Your argument and analogy with other sports would be better if you said the tournaments should all be on a natural surface all year round like every other outdoor sport in the world. So take your pick clay or grass. Clay is easier to maintain, so you'd be arguing for year round clay.

 

[joeri888]

Thread of the year


dumbest **** I've ever heard. If there's one thing that's great about tennis it is the surface changing all the time.. There should be more surfaces rather then less.

 

[Andres]

The differences is surfaces in the other sports, comes nothing close to the difference created between hard and clay.

Different grasses in golf lol, the difference is so minimal and it is impossible to train for, unlike clay.

Al the other sports involve running, the way the ball bounces on the surface is not the key of the game, where as on clay it is.

Volley and beach-volley.

 

[pound cat]

LOL Yes. Americans SUCK on clay. (which is the bottom line of your post as I presume you are American) So how about this as a solution, How about more and more red court clay courts in the USA, Then things will be evened up!

Vive la terre battue!

 

[joeri888]

I've reread the OP thrice now and it gets dumber and dumber.

 

[Dilettante]

I've reread the OP thrice now and it gets dumber and dumber.

Yes, it never stops going dumber.