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{{Short description|Type of tennis court}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}
[[File:ND DN 2006FO.jpg|thumb|
A '''clay court''' is one of the types of [[tennis court]] on which the sport of [[tennis]]
▲Two main types exist: [[#Red clay|red clay]], the more common variety, and [[#Green clay|green clay]], also known as "rubico", which is a harder surface. Although less expensive to construct than other types of tennis courts, the maintenance costs of clay are high as the surface must be rolled to preserve flatness.<ref name="What is clay">{{cite web|url=http://www.globaltennisdesign.com/articles/clay_courts_p.htm|title=Clay Courts: What Are They Anyway?|first=Andrew R.|last=Lavallee|access-date=14 April 2016|archive-date=24 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160424185655/http://www.globaltennisdesign.com/articles/clay_courts_p.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Play==▼
Clay courts are considered "slow" because the balls bounce relatively high and lose much of their initial speed when contacting the surface, making it more difficult for a player to deliver an unreturnable shot. [[point (tennis)|Points]] are usually longer as there are fewer [[winner (tennis)|winners]]. Therefore, clay courts heavily favor [[baseliner]]s who are consistent and have a strong defensive game, which has allowed players such as [[Rafael Nadal]], [[Björn Borg]], [[Chris Evert]], and [[Justine Henin]] to find success at the French Open. Players who excel on clay courts but struggle to replicate the same form on fast courts are known as [[clay-court specialist]]s. Clay-court players generally play in a semicircle about {{convert|1.5|to|3|m|ft|0|abbr=off}} behind the baseline. Clay courts favor the "full [[grip (tennis)|western grip]]" for more [[topspin]]. Clay court players use topspins to throw off their opponents.{{fact|date=August 2023}}▼
Movement on the loose surface is very different from movement on any other surface; playing on clay often involves the ability to slide into the ball during the stroke.{{fact|date=August 2023}}▼
Clay courts are unique in that the ball bounce leaves an impression in the ground, which can help determine whether a shot was in or out. Furthermore, clay courts are still playable in light rain because the courts are meant to be slightly wet when played on and the surface absorbs water better than hard courts and grass courts. This is opposed to hard courts and grass courts where play is usually suspended almost immediately during even light rain.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tenniscreative.com/tennis-in-the-rain/#:~:text=Clay%20tennis%20courts%20are%20meant,court%20will%20still%20be%20playable.|title=Playing Tennis In The Rain – The Ultimate Guide|website=Tenniscreative.com|date=19 October 2020}}</ref>▼
==Variants==
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Almost all red clay courts are made not of natural clay but of crushed brick that is packed to make the court, with the top most layers consisting of finely crushed loose particles. Such courts are most common in Europe and Latin America. The exact color of the surface varies with the composition of the bricks used, and can appear from a light yellow to a deep red, with a medium orange being most common.{{fact|date=August 2023}}
Natural clay courts are rare because this type of surface does not absorb water easily and takes two to three days to dry. A good example of natural red clay can be seen at the Frick Park Clay Courts in [[Pittsburgh]], a public facility of six red clay courts that has been in continual use since 1930.<ref>{{cite web
Sports surface providers such as British firm En-Tout-Cas offer red clay surfaces with a coarser top layer to improve drainage.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.tenniscourtsuk.co.uk/ |title=Home |publisher=En-Tout-Cas Sports Surfaces |access-date=19 July 2022 |archive-date=15 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220715002742/https://tenniscourtsuk.co.uk/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="What is clay"/>
The [[Copa Sevilla|Copa Sevilla Open]] is played on yellow clay courts due to the kind of crushed brick used in its composition. While composed in the same way as red clay, it is a noticeably bright yellow and visually distinct from other red clay type courts.{{fact|date=August 2023}}
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[[File:Maria Sharapova, 2008 Family Circle Cup.JPG|thumb|[[Maria Sharapova]] during the [[2008 Family Circle Cup]] played on green clay]]
Green clay, also known by brand names such as ''Har-Tru'' and ''Rubico'', is made of crushed [[
The [[US Men's Clay Court Championships]] are played on clay that has a maroon color. Not only is this a darker color than other clay courts used in the professional game, but it is also a type of Har-Tru court, meaning it is actually composed of the same substance (basalt) as green clay courts, and not a type of red clay.{{fact|date=August 2023}}
▲==Play==
▲Clay courts are considered "slow" because the balls bounce relatively high and lose much of their initial speed when contacting the surface, making it more difficult for a player to deliver an unreturnable shot. [[
▲Movement on the loose surface is very different from movement on any other surface
▲Clay courts are unique in that the ball bounce leaves an impression in the ground, which can help determine whether a shot was in or out. Furthermore, clay courts are still playable in light rain because the courts are meant to be slightly wet when played on and the surface absorbs water better than hard courts and grass courts. This is opposed to hard courts and grass courts where play is usually suspended almost immediately during even light rain.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tenniscreative.com/tennis-in-the-rain/#:~:text=Clay%20tennis%20courts%20are%20meant,court%20will%20still%20be%20playable.|title=Playing Tennis In The Rain – The Ultimate Guide|website=Tenniscreative.com|date=19 October 2020|access-date=28 March 2023|archive-date=28 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230328121731/https://tenniscreative.com/tennis-in-the-rain/#:~:text=Clay%20tennis%20courts%20are%20meant,court%20will%20still%20be%20playable.|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Players==
In the pre-open era [[Anthony Wilding]] is particularly notable for his achievements on clay courts. Starting in May 1910 at the [[South African Open (tennis)|Championship of South Africa]] and ending in June 1914 at the [[World Hard Court Championships]] he registered 120 consecutive clay court match victories.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ilic |first1=Jovica |title=May 9, 1915 - Tennis ace Anthony Wilding loses his life in the World War I |url=https://www.tennisworldusa.org/tennis/news/ATP_Tennis/43220/may-9-1915-tennis-ace-anthony-wilding-loses-his-life-in-the-world-war-i/ |website=Tennis World USA |publisher=Coppini Trading (Pty) LTD |access-date=6 September 2022 |language=en |date=10 May 2017 |archive-date=17 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220817190300/https://www.tennisworldusa.org/tennis/news/ATP_Tennis/43220/may-9-1915-tennis-ace-anthony-wilding-loses-his-life-in-the-world-war-i/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
[[Rafael Nadal
On the women's side, [[Monica Seles]], [[Justine Henin]] and [[
The most successful currently active female player on clay is [[Iga Świątek]], who won the French Open in [[2020 French Open – Women's singles|2020]], [[2022 French Open – Women's singles|2022]]
===Clay-court specialist===
[[File:Nadal vs Federer RG 2007.jpg|thumb|upright=0.8|[[Rafael Nadal]] is known as "The King of Clay".]]
A clay-court specialist is a tennis player who excels on clay courts, more than on any other surface.{{fact|date=August 2023}}
Due in part to advances in racquet technology, current clay-court specialists are known for employing long, winding groundstrokes that generate heavy
The definition of "clay-court specialist" has varied.
Increasingly, clay courters have attempted to play better on other surfaces,<ref>{{cite news |last= Ford |first= Bonnie D |title= Nadal the lead warrior in Spanish surge on grass |work= ESPN |date= 27 June 2008 |url= http://www.espn.com/sports/tennis/wimbledon08/columns/story?columnist=ford_bonnie_d&id=3463241 |access-date= 10 July 2008 |archive-date= 21 September 2017 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170921000608/http://www.espn.com/sports/tennis/wimbledon08/columns/story?columnist=ford_bonnie_d&id=3463241 |url-status= live }}</ref> with some success.<ref>{{cite news|author1=Van Sias|title=Clay-court specialists not so special anymore|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/tennis/story/2012-04-16/weekly-net-post-demise-of-the-clay-court-specialist/54319198/1|work=[[USA Today]]|date=16 April 2012|access-date=29 January 2016|archive-date=6 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160206134429/http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/tennis/story/2012-04-16/weekly-net-post-demise-of-the-clay-court-specialist/54319198/1|url-status=live}}</ref> Ferrero reached the
==Professional tournaments played on clay==
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|bgcolor=f3e6d7 colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |[[Grand Slam (tennis)|Grand Slam]] tournaments
|-
|bgcolor=e9e9e9|ATP
|-
|bgcolor=d4f1c5|ATP
|-
|ATP
|}
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|-
| Week 1
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Grand Prix Hassan II]] ([[Marrakesh]], [[Morocco]])<br />[[U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships]] ([[Houston]], [[United States]])
| bgcolor=#D4F1C5 style="text-align:center;" | [[Charleston Open]] ([[Charleston, South Carolina]], United States)
|-
| Week 2
| bgcolor=#E9E9E9 style="text-align:center;"| [[Monte-Carlo Masters]] ([[Roquebrune-Cap-Martin]], [[France]])
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Copa Colsanitas]] ([[Bogotá]], [[Colombia]])<br />[[Ladies Open Lugano]] ([[Lugano]], [[Switzerland]])
|-
| rowspan="2" | Week 3
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|-
| Week 4
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Bavarian International Tennis Championships]] ([[Munich]], Germany)<br />[[Estoril Open (tennis)|Estoril Open]] ([[Cascais]], [[Portugal]])
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Morocco Open]] ([[Rabat]], Morocco)<br />[[WTA Prague Open|J&T Banka Prague Open]] ([[Prague]], [[Czech Republic]])
|-
| Week 5
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|-
| Week 7
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Geneva Open]] ([[Geneva]], Switzerland)<br />[[Lyon Open (ATP)|Lyon Open]] ([[Lyon]], France)
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Internationaux de Strasbourg]] ([[Strasbourg]], France)
|-
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|-
| Week 1
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Swedish Open]] ([[Båstad]], [[Sweden]])<br />[[Croatia Open]] ([[Umag]], [[Croatia]])
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Bucharest Open]] ([[Bucharest]], [[Romania]])<br />[[WTA Swiss Open|Swiss Open]] ([[Lausanne]], Switzerland)
|-
| rowspan="2" | Week 2
| bgcolor=#D4F1C5 style="text-align:center;" | [[German Open Tennis Championships]] ([[Hamburg]], Germany)
| rowspan="2" style="text-align: center;" | [[Baltic Open]] ([[Jūrmala]], [[Latvia]])<br />[[Internazionali Femminili di Palermo]] ([[Palermo]], Italy)
|-
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Swiss Open (tennis)|Swiss Open]] ([[Gstaad]], Switzerland)
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==See also==
{{Portal|Tennis}}
* [[Hardcourt]]
* [[Grass court]]
* [[Carpet court]]
* [[Wood court]]
==References==
|