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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 [[metabasalt]] rather than brick,<ref name="Har-Tru Green Clay">{{cite web|title=Har-Tru Classic Green Clay|url=https://hartru.com/pages/har-tru-green|website=Har-Tru|publisher=Har-Tru LLC|access-date=25 April 2017|archive-date=25 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170425114032/https://hartru.com/pages/har-tru-green|url-status=live}}</ref> making the surface slightly harder and faster than red clay. These courts are located primarily in the mid-Atlantic and southern United States. They are also found in Central and Eastern Canada. There is one [[Women's Tennis Association|WTA]] tournament played on green Har-Tru clay courts, the [[Charleston Open]] in [[Charleston, South Carolina]]. From 1975 until 1977, the [[US Open (tennis)|US Open]] was played on Har-Tru clay courts.<ref>{{
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. [[Point (tennis)|Points]] are usually longer as there are fewer [[winner (tennis)|winners]]. Clay courts favor [[baseliner]]s who are consistent and have a strong defensive game, leading to players such as [[Rafael Nadal]], [[Björn Borg]], [[Chris Evert]], and [[Justine Henin]]
Movement on the loose surface is very different from movement on any other surface, often involving sliding toward the incoming ball while preparing for the return 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|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 at the French Open|Rafael Nadal, winner of a record 14 French Open men's singles titles]], is noted for his success on clay; since his debut in 2005, he has only lost
On the women's side, [[Monica Seles]], [[Justine Henin]] and [[
Chris Evert holds the record for longest winning streak on clay for either gender in the open era: from August 1973 to May 1979, she won 125 consecutive clay court matches. During this time, Evert skipped three editions of the French Open (1976–78), to participate in [[World Team Tennis]]. She also has the highest career win percentage on clay courts (94.55%) during the open era.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tignor |first=Steve |date=2017-05-25 |title=Who's the greatest clay-courter of them all—Chris Evert or Rafa Nadal? |url=https://www.tennis.com/news/articles/who-s-the-greatest-clay-courter-of-them-all-chris-evert-or-rafa-nadal |access-date=2023-09-09 |website=Tennis.com |language=en |archive-date=4 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230904111225/https://www.tennis.com/news/articles/who-s-the-greatest-clay-courter-of-them-all-chris-evert-or-rafa-nadal |url-status=live }}</ref>
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===
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Due in part to advances in racquet technology, current clay-court specialists are known for employing long, winding groundstrokes that generate heavy topspin; such strokes are less effective on faster surfaces on which the balls do not bounce as high. Clay-court specialists tend to slide more effectively on clay than other players. Many of them are also very adept at hitting the [[drop shot]], which can be effective because rallies on clay courts often leave players pushed far beyond the baseline. Additionally, the slow, long rallies require a great degree of mental focus and physical stamina.{{fact|date=August 2023}}
The definition of "clay-court specialist" has varied. Anthony Wilding, [[Sergi Bruguera]], [[Albert Costa]] and [[Gastón Gaudio]] were French Open champions who won all or nearly all of their career titles on clay. [[Andrés Gimeno]], [[Adriano Panatta]], [[Manuel Orantes]], [[Yannick Noah]], [[Michael Chang]], Thomas Muster, [[Gustavo Kuerten]], [[Carlos Moyá]] and [[Juan Carlos Ferrero]] won major titles only on clay, but won lower tournaments, including Masters Series events, on other surfaces. Among female players, there have been few whose best results were confined exclusively to clay. [[Virginia Ruzici]], [[Anastasia Myskina]], [[Iva Majoli]], [[Sue Barker]], [[Ana Ivanovic]], [[Francesca Schiavone]]
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 final of the US Open in [[2003 US Open – Men's Singles|2003]],<ref>{{cite news |title= Ferrero shatters Agassi hopes |work= BBC Sport |date= 27 June 2008 |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/tennis/us_open_2003/3087014.stm |access-date= 10 July 2008 |archive-date= 31 May 2011 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110531194423/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/tennis/us_open_2003/3087014.stm |url-status= live }}</ref> the same year he won the [[2003 French Open – Men's Singles|French Open]], and also won several hardcourt tournaments.<ref>{{cite news |title= Ferrero claims Madrid title |work= BBC Sport |date= 19 October 2002 |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/tennis/3205848.stm |access-date= 10 July 2008 |archive-date= 27 March 2012 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120327095428/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/tennis/3205848.stm |url-status= live }}</ref> Nadal was considered a clay court specialist until a string of successes on other surfaces—including completing a [[Grand Slam (tennis)#
==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==
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