Tennis: What makes Nadal the undisputed 'King of Clay'?
There is no doubt that Rafael Nadal is the undisputed 'King of Clay'. His 11th French Open title cemented his status as the greatest clay court player of all time. The Spaniard is unbeatable on clay, boasting close to 98% win record with 86 wins and 2 losses at the French Open. But what makes him great on the red dirt? Here we decode.
How is French Open different from other Grand Slams?
The French Open is the only Grand Slam which is played on a clay surface. Clay courts take the speed off the ball, and since there is less skid on the ball, the surface helps in generating more bounce. The ball travels slowly on clay courts which gives Nadal more time to react, and his weak knee takes less of pounding on this surface.
Being left handed is one of the advantages
Nadal is a left-handed player, and that has helped him dominate even the likes of Roger Federer on clay. Nadal can whip heavy short balls when rallying cross-court and compel the opponents to play with their backhand. This also forces the right-handed opponents to play wider than they are naturally used to, thereby, opening up more space for the left-handed to take control.
Nadal has the ability to spin the ball
One of the natural advantages in Nadal's case is that he can spin the ball to deceive his opponents. Being left-handed gives him the ability to approach the ball at a different angle, helping him to put a spin on the ball. He has a heavy ground-stroke, which makes the ball bite into the clay and bounce higher up making it difficult to strike.
Nadal is blessed with one of the best forehands
Nadal has one of the best forehands in this generation, and while playing on a clay surface, this makes him extremely dangerous. It helps him generate bounce on clay, as a result, the opponent is forced to strike the ball from a shoulder-height. Hence it is difficult for Nadal's opponents to generate speed, power and angles.
Mental advantage of playing on clay
Rafael Nadal has been playing on clay surfaces since his childhood. He developed himself as a Tennis professional on the clay court and this gives him a lot of confidence. His record at the clay court major also tends to intimidate his opponents, who often fail to get the better of him.
Tactical mastery of the clay surface
Nadal is a tactical master on clay. In Tennis, like Chess, you come out with a strategy, and if it's not working, you improvise, then and there. This year, Nadal dropped just one set. This is the 6th time, he has dropped one or less than one set at French Open. Further, Nadal has won the French Open thrice without dropping a set.
