Qualities That Make Red Clay A One Of A Kind Tennis Court Type

By Darren Landis

If you play tennis, or even are just a spectator, you will be aware of that unique red playing service known as a clay court. This surfaces dates right back to the original game, and is particularly popular in the tennis playing countries around the Mediterranean.

There is no other surface quite like clay to have a game of tennis on. The strong red color is very attractive and literally makes tennis a whole different ball game!

Whether or not you have yet to experience playing on a red clay court, I have a few fascinating facts about this unique surface to share with you.

This surface lends itself more to those that play from the baseline, as opposed to those who serve and volley. A great clay court player must have impeccable ground strokes.

Those players who reign supreme on this difficult surface play most effectively from the baseline. They also rely on the strength in their ground strokes to win matches.

So why is the strategy for this game so different? Well, it is very simple, the clay is a thick and heavy surface which sticks to the ball and therefore slows it Down considerably.

So as where you are used to seeing a ball hit the surface then rise at great speed, you will be seeing the opposite happening on a clay court.

There have been some marathon tennis matches played on clay, and that has been because the ball has slowed as it hits the surface and given the player time to be able to reach it.

The rallies are obviously longer and shots easier to reach than they would be on the fast courts. A sure fire winner on grass is probably reachable on clay.

Speed is the key on clay, to reach the ball early while it is still on the rise and put it away thanks to a thumping ground stroke. - 31983

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What Attribute Matters Most In Professional Tennis?

By Laura Coverdale

As the sport continues to evolve, many players and fans of tennis will debate the merits of the most important skill that a player can possess.

It can be fun considering the different perspectives and opinions of the many arguments that evolve from the different aspects of the game.

I have listed a few elements to consider. Which do you think are important?

Looking back at top players in history such as John McEnroe, the question to ask is, is it volleying? All things considered, a regular game may be a danger for either opponent and end a point without trouble.

Many tennis buffs would argue that the modern game favors baseline play over the net. After all, look at the dominance of Rafael Nadal from the back of the court. Even players like Andy Roddick, who once spent more time at the net, are recently favoring the baseline and opting for ground strokes.

On the other hand, a powerful serve gives a player an edge no matter what the circumstances. Someone with an elite serve (i.e. Roddick) can easily dictate the tone of a match if their opponent has a hard time breaking them. A big serve makes the rest of every point far easier.

How about speed though? Guys like Nadal can get to just about every ball, making it extremely difficult for their opponents to win points. The harder your opposition has to work for a point, the more unforced errors you'll ultimately cause.

I think that the x-factor wins over all others. Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer have a mental attitude that goes with winning. The type of 'no lose' attitude which, I think gives them an edge over their opponents.

With the ability to rarely be rattled, their stoic composure and never say die attitude wins them so many more matches than the stats would indicate. - 31983

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Names To Keep An Eye On In 2010

By Ashley Reed

The 2010 tennis season looks like being a great one, if the recent Australian Open was anything to go by. Although classed as once of the more senior players on the tour, Roger Federer fired out a warning to all those waiting to take his crown by easily taking the title with style and grace.

Don't assume, however, at this early stage, it's going to be the same winners at all the Majors. There are a few good players just waiting to seize the moment and lift a few big titles themselves. Here are a few who showed great promise last year, and this could well be their time to shine.

There are a few players to keep an eye out for this year, as 2010 could well be the year that they achieve their potential.

On the women's tour there is the young American Melanie Oudin, she as the surprise package at the 2009 US Open by beating some very big names to reach the semi final stage.

Still a teenager, there is still plenty of time for Oudin's all round game to grow and mature, A fact her competitors will be well aware of and hoping they aren't drawn against her.

He has started the year brilliantly, and currently has a 15-1 record, he'll be hoping to capitalize on this and go on to cause some major upset in the coming year.

Our next player to watch is a 28 year old who has been around quite a while but is literally in the form of his career. Nikolay Davydenko has had a career that has been overshadowed by allegations of gambling scandals.

He is fast becoming Federer's nemesis, having beaten the Swiss master twice in their last three meetings. As the unfounded gambling rumours have now gone, it seems that he is now free to just concentrate on what he does best. - 31983

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Skill Sets That Are Crucial In Tennis

By Courtney Pinto

As tennis continues to grow its fans and players will always be arguing on what determines a good player and which skills are the most important to have.

So it's all just conjecture really, but it's still worth having a debate over just for the fun of it and there are many aspects of the sport to choose from.

Some very important aspects are listed. Are there any that you would find most important?

What about volleying? A game that it going too smoothly can become a disadvantage for opponents as point may easily be lost. Just take a look back at players of the past such as John McEnroe.

Many tennis buffs would argue that the modern game favors baseline play over the net. After all, look at the dominance of Rafael Nadal from the back of the court. Even players like Andy Roddick, who once spent more time at the net, are recently favoring the baseline and opting for ground strokes.

On the other hand, maybe it is the serve that is important. A strong serve will give the player a distinct advantage over their opponent and if you consider the example of Roddick who will control the course of the match with his serve if he has made it difficult for his opponent to break them.

How about speed though? Guys like Nadal can get to just about every ball, making it extremely difficult for their opponents to win points. The harder your opposition has to work for a point, the more unforced errors you'll ultimately cause.

What I think is the most important aspect is the x-factor, as in the mental game. Rafael Nadal knows how to play a tough mental game and as a result has some of the toughest in the history of tennis.

With the ability to rarely be rattled, their stoic composure and never say die attitude wins them so many more matches than the stats would indicate. - 31983

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Secrets For Playing On Clay Tennis Courts

By Amy Schwenk

If you're an active tennis player and you've never played on red clay, this is a surface that you'll surely appreciate. There's a ton of history behind red clay, and playing on it is a truly magical experience.

Playing on clay can be an extremely enjoyable experience, though anyone living in North America may have a hard time finding a court. Regardless, it's a surface that many lovers of the sport truly cherish.

I thought it would be useful to throw together a quick guide for people playing tennis on clay courts, pointing out the areas of strength and weakness that arise on this surface.

If you've ever seen the French Open or any other clay court event on TV, you've probably witnessed long rallies played from the baseline. Those who stay back generally find more success on these courts.

Unfortunately, players with big serves and proficient net games simply won't find as much success on clay courts. The impact of a hard hit serve or a quick rush to the net simply doesn't have the same effectiveness.

Why is this the case? Well, it all has to do with the surface that the matches are being played on. You see, clay is a thick surface and one that slows the ball down as a result.

Unlike hard courts, you'll seldom see the ball skipping off the surface and bouncing up at an increased speed. In fact, you'll see just the opposite.

The ball will bounce higher, giving opponents that much more time to get to the ball during the course of a point. As a result, some of the longest tennis matches in history have been matches played on clay.

This results in very long rallies, since balls that ordinarily couldn't be returned are gotten to on this surface. This makes things interesting, but they're also more challenging.

As a result, anyone who moves quickly during the course of a match will definitely have an edge. - 31983

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Which Player Will Claim The ATP Tour's No. 1 Position in Professional Tennis?

By Louis Manari

Tennis fans around the world are rejoicing as the grand slam season has kicked off. Things are most definitely exciting on both sides of the tour, leading many to speculate as to who will dominate the sport this year. Let's take a look at the men of the sport.

While recent years seemingly belonged to Federer and Nadal and their classic rivalry with one another, there are a few more players in the mix who should pose a threat to them both.

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have had a profound impact on the sport and remain the top two in the game, but their leads aren't as comfortable as they once used to be. As a result, it's time to list a few more players who may finish at the top. Let's look at the contenders.

Obviously, there's Roger Federer. He should always be considered the favorite to finish at the top of the rankings, as he's done so nearly every year during the course of the last decade. Still, his age of 29 means he's getting up there in years.

The player who poses the biggest threat to Federer is Rafael Nadal, who seems to have his number whenever they meet lately. Having beaten him during their last two grand slam finals matchups, the key to Nadal's success this year will be his knees, which gave him problems last year.

Out of nowhere last year came Juan Martin Del Potro, a young sensation from Argentina who seemingly came out of nowhere to stun the world when he defeated Roger Federer in the finals of the US Open last year. Many believe that he could very likely finish the year at number one.

Then, there are two final players who will both have a go at the throne.

From Serbia comes Novak Djokovic, a player whose potential has long been known. Unfortunately, the talent of Federer and Nadal has been too great for him to surpass. This could change though, and 2010 could be his breakout year.

Then, there's Andy Murray. At 22 years old, this British talent is on the rise and peaked as high as number two last year. With some big wins in 2010, he could be this year's dark horse. - 31983

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Martina Navratilova: A World Renowned Tennis Player

By Robert Smith

Martina Navratilova is an ex-World number 1 female Tennis Player. Born on October 18, 1956 in Czechoslovakia, she became the citizen of America in 1981.Her stepfather Miroslav Navratil was her first coach. Martina won the Czech republic national tennis championship at the age of fifteen. At the age of seventeen, she got her very first professional singles title when she played the match in Orlando, Florida. She became a professional tennis player in 1975.

In 1975's Grand Slam singles tournaments, she was one of the finalist in both the Australian Open and French Open, but she lost in both the finals to Evonne Goolagong Cawley and Chris Evert, respectively. The same year, she even lost in the semi finals of the US Open the same year after which she made her mind to get the green card of United States. In 1978, Navratilova got her first victory in the Grand Slam singles at Wimbledon and at the same she acquired the world number 1 rank after defeating Chris Evert.

Navratilova took tennis to another level due to her immense strength and strong competitive spirit. Through hard work and dedication, she increased her fitness in order to become a great tennis player. Thanks to Nancy Lieberman, a basketball player, she got into shape. In order to get healthier, she had to push through intense workouts. She became a superior tennis player by trying a different method, playing with a tennis racquet made of graphite.

When she faced off against Evert in 1981 at the Australian Open in the Grand Slam single, she won again. Then she was victorious in the Wimbledon and French Open that following year. She triumphed in all of the Grand Slams except for one in 1983.

She surpassed every other tennis player and obtained the greatest winning percentage of any professional tennis player. In 1984, Martina proved her supremacy by winning the French Open Grand Slam, a great personal victory over her loss there in 1983. Philippe Chatrier, president of the International Tennis Federation, was so impressed with Navratilova's victory that he dubbed it the Grand Slam. At the height of her career, Martina Navratilova only lost six singles matches in 2 years, i.e., from 1982 - 1984. - 31983

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