Frying Pan Forehand
Rookie
So yeah, basically what the title says.
Opinions about Blue clay(now with poll)
- Thread starter Frying Pan Forehand
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Dedans Penthouse
Legend
Having grown up mostly on red clay (and Har-tru), I know I'd sure like to try it out. Good ball visibility/contrast but it is kinda wierd-looking, sort of like black grass.
Hood_Man
G.O.A.T.
I've got nothing against the colour, I think that aspect has been a rousing success.
BUT it is too damn slippery out there. It always has been in Madrid but this year the complaints have been louder than ever.
Rafa losing was an exciting development that has perhaps made the final less of a foregone conclusion (it's the first clay masters final without Nadal since Rome 2008 I believe), but watching Novak running around like Bambi learning to walk still shows it's not safe. Even Federer looked off balance at times yesterday.
It still needs work.
BUT it is too damn slippery out there. It always has been in Madrid but this year the complaints have been louder than ever.
Rafa losing was an exciting development that has perhaps made the final less of a foregone conclusion (it's the first clay masters final without Nadal since Rome 2008 I believe), but watching Novak running around like Bambi learning to walk still shows it's not safe. Even Federer looked off balance at times yesterday.
It still needs work.
namelessone
Legend
I don't like the colour but I wouldn't mind it as much if players could actually get some footing on this surface instead of looking like cows on ice. Some of the best movers on tour, Nadal,Fed,Djoko looked silly on this surface at times.
Borrelli
Semi-Pro
I do like that the tour has finally switched up a surface. It rewards the player's that can adapt the best and have a variety of playing style. I personally would rather have seen har-tru as it would be very unfortunate if anyone gets injured on this blue stuff. I just wish they would do this at other times of the year, i.e. Wimbledon and the US Open.
Murrayfan31
Hall of Fame
The color is awesome. Nadal is just a whiner. And Verdasco was moving great on that surface. Explain that.
BigServer1
Legend
Love the color, think it's cool. Sounds like there's not enough "clay" on these courts, so they're playing fast and slick. Get more clay out there to make it play more traditional, or keep it as is. As long as the players are safe, it's awesome to see an event where S&V can win matches.
FlashFlare11
Hall of Fame
It's about time. If we can have a majority of hard and grass courts playing slowly, we can surely have just one clay court that plays quickly.
NE1for10is?
Semi-Pro
Easier to see the ball and just aesthetically very nice to look at.
SLD76
G.O.A.T.
yes...montreal, cincy, USO, IW, Miami, and Paris have all been slowed considerably, but one clay court plays like fast grass and all of a sudden its a travesty.:-?
Alot of butthurt from fans of defensive grinders...
D
Deleted member 21996
Guest
are you going to parrot this ad aeternum just because you believe it? i saw 3 matches today and the only silly thing i see is Nadal & his fans parroting against ONE (1) frigging court that doesnt suit him!
i hope you talk like that in every court that suits your poster boy too. just for the sake of respect for your own opinions. that is of course if you respect yourself!
BevelDevil
Hall of Fame
Can't they just make the clay grittier next year? Keep the blue and get rid of the slickness.
namelessone
Legend
Is Nadal the only one complaining about these courts?
So why do you(and others) focus on him?
Oh wait, I know why...
D
Deleted member 21996
Guest
i tell you why parrot...
Nole complainted about the courts didnt he? do you see any Djokovic fans here complainting about the courts?
now Poly... Didnt Federer complaint about it? do you see the armanda of Federetes complainting?
can you join 2 +2 and see why Nadal gets the raking over the coals?
namelessone
Legend
TheF1Bob said some not very nice things about the surface and tourney from what I remember in the Madrid thread.
D
Deleted member 21996
Guest
oh.. one (1) poster said.... that is almost a gazilion!!!
Narcissist
Semi-Pro
The complaints have been about how slippery the court is, I'm not sure if the clay's colour is to blame for this though. If not, who cares about the colour? We have all sorts of different coloured HCs and even green clay (though that does play differently).
SLD76
G.O.A.T.
was reading a bbc article about nadal's complaint about Madrid, according to the bbc article, the process of removing the iron oxide and dyeing the court blue is part of the reason it plays so slick.
Ever thought about practice makes perfect?
This is their first time playing on something different for a change. Give them time and they will get better. Whatever the condidion, if Nadal/Fed/Nole are the best player, they should find way to win.
IvanisevicServe
Banned
Blue clay rules. Madrid was already playing quite a bit differently from other clay court tournaments, including Roland Garros. This surface is an offensive player's goldmine.
And for those worried about the preparation for RG...well, maybe this will restore the importance of Monte Carlo. Now the "optional masters" is starting to look much more important if players want to be prepared heading into RG.
I say, move Madrid back before Monte Carlo, so the latter and Rome can lead into Roland Garros.
And for those worried about the preparation for RG...well, maybe this will restore the importance of Monte Carlo. Now the "optional masters" is starting to look much more important if players want to be prepared heading into RG.
I say, move Madrid back before Monte Carlo, so the latter and Rome can lead into Roland Garros.
Bartelby
Bionic Poster
Dedans Penthouse
Legend
Do you get blue balls from playing on this court?
Bobby Jr
G.O.A.T.
I laugh at Nadal saying he wont play here if it's the same next year. It reminds me of his older countrymen boycotting Wimbledon because they didn't like the conditions.
Imagine if Sampras had boycotted red clay all those years because the conditions didn't suit him.
Nadal is, as usual, thinking only of number one. The tennis I've seen so far here has been entertaining and I'm yet to see three people sprain their ankles as happened in Monaco. I hope he doesn't play next year - he'll be the only one losing out on points.
Imagine if Sampras had boycotted red clay all those years because the conditions didn't suit him.
Nadal is, as usual, thinking only of number one. The tennis I've seen so far here has been entertaining and I'm yet to see three people sprain their ankles as happened in Monaco. I hope he doesn't play next year - he'll be the only one losing out on points.
cork_screw
Hall of Fame
EVERYONE has to deal with the same conditions. Federer and Djokovic have both advanced. It doesn't seem to really affect anyone else all too much. Anyways, this surface makes things interesting seeing as how EVERY clay tournie seems to be the same, just a different location. I love how on hard court, Indian Wells plays slightly different than Sony where Indian Wells is quicker and you get a different feel when you watch it; US Open plays differently than Aussie Open, this makes them unique and special. I really like how the Madrid organizers tried to do something different and make this tournie unique. I love change and Nadal needs to just deal with it. I'm sure people complained about wimbledon and how that surface is very quick, but they didn't remove the grass. If anything they might want to play around with the formulae of the clay, but I do like how it plays DIFFERENTLY than the other surfaces as clay season tends to be more of the same tournie, but in a different city (slow and grinding). To me that's boring and it's even more mundane when I watch Nadal after Nadal victory. Do we really need 5 of the same surfaces? I don't see why nadal is crying, he going to win at rome and Roland Garros. Big deal, he lost one match, now I'm actually interested in the tournament knowing I won't have to see his ugly mug on my computer screen. That and blue is just so much more soothing to the eyes. When I watch the Red of Roland Garros, it burns my eyes after staring at the screen for about an hour.
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Murrayfan31
Hall of Fame
Maybe Nadal would play better if he didn't throw a temper tantrum every time he lost a point at the court.
Because instead of trying to adjust and adapt, he didn't and chose to b!tch about it. Not only that, he was in a very big position to take the match easily and choked.
1
1970CRBase
Guest
you know, after watching Fed serve volley everything, I don't mind blue sand at all, in fact, I think RG should also change to the same stuff.
D
Deleted member 21996
Guest
wow. thanks for that captain obvious. now tell us more about the earth being round!
D
Deleted member 21996
Guest
double post
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D
Deleted member 21996
Guest
D
Deleted member 21996
Guest
Cool Story bro.
tusharlovesrafa
Hall of Fame
You know what u have done.calling me black?? indian dog?? u r sick..
Sentinel
Bionic Poster
Nostradamus
Bionic Poster
Can't we put iron oxide back in and still make it blue ? or just add some more grit so there will be more traction.
Larrysümmers
Hall of Fame
its going to be all fun and games until Nole takes a bad fall and tears something.
DavidGarcia
Hall of Fame
I'd go for "Bring on the aggresive tennis, this is golden" but should not be at this time of the year in the middle of the real clay season.
Marius_Hancu
Talk Tennis Guru
zagor
Bionic Poster
This, I prefer aggressive tennis in general but I want it on HC & grass, clay should play like clay.
I'd prefer if Madrid reverts to red clay(and plays like one) but that Wimbledon and USO revert to their 90s speeds instead of being mud slow and encouraging grinding contests.
Heck even AO's rebound ace was much faster than plexicushion it switched to in 2008.
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