What the blue clay tells us about Federer, Nadal and Djokovic?

I haven't seen any of the matches so this is down to brute intellect and conjecture, but maybe others could confirm or deny?

Both Nadal and Djokovic seem to have made their complaints known before they started competing on the surface (but after practising on the surface) - too slippery and unpredictable.

Both Nadal and Djokovic after losing their respective third and fourth (quarter final) round matches were "reported" to be "angry".

Nadal mentions the importance of Madrid as part of his preparations for the red clay of Roland Garros (indicates he is always preparing for Grand Slams, and thinks strategically across the season).

Federer doesn't seem to have made a "fuss" over the matter and has "got on with business".


Does this tell us anything about the way Federer, Nadal and Djokovic play?
I suggest the following: Federer moves his feet more and is more poised / balanced when moving towards the ball, and when planting his feet in striking the ball.

Djokovic and Nadal, tend to slide towards the ball when approaching the ball to strike it (gives them greater distance in their movement - but makes them less firmly planted on the ground / vertically balanced during the early stages of the ball strike).

Djokovic and Nadal, tend to change their direction more sharply than Federer, when reacting to the return ball (or serve) - putting more force on the surface.

Both suggest that Djokovic and Nadal's game places more importance on sliding their feet on the ground, and kicking off the surface sharply. This might be one reason why their movement is said to be good - but perhaps their vertical balance / poise is a little compromised as a result. If the surface is "slippery" (or at least "unpredictable" in its slipperiness), then perhaps it is going to effect Nadal and Djokovic more than Federer?

I partly agree.

Federer does tend to lunge less for balls whereas both Rafa and Novak are better at playing balls off balance and returning them with depth and interest.

All three of them move very well on clay and use the traditional sliding.

I think the main problems that Rafa and Novak have faced are more as a result of their style of tennis and approach. Federer tends to go for the lines earlier in a rally. This is more favourable on this surface as the slipperiness makes it harder to stop, start and change direction, thus defending becomes more difficult. Hence one needs to get ahead in the rally so to speak. Be more proactive, less reactive. This favours Federer's natural game more so than the other two.

Additionally the fact that Bird, Del Po and Tipsy, who all have a similar proactive approach to rallies, have reached the latter stages bears this out. None of those guys move as well as Novak or Rafa on clay.



emancipator

emancipator wrote:... I think the main problems that Rafa and Novak have faced are more as a result of their style of tennis and approach. Federer tends to go for the lines earlier in a rally. This is more favourable on this surface as the slipperiness makes it harder to stop, start and change direction, thus defending becomes more difficult. ...

I suppose this highlights the importance that Nadal and Djokovic place on "negation" in the early phase of their return game - which is why they are said to be defensive players. The server has the advantage on serve (unless we are talking about a Murray second serve ), and Nadal and Djokovic slide around and kick off the surface in order to negate that initial server advantage - which perhaps goes after three or four strokes (in total). Also, as you mention, having a game based on reaction (rather than "pro-action") requires more "cold" chasing after the ball.

How is the ball bouncing on this surface - does it have a lower bounce - more "skiddy" than "grippy"? If the surface is more skiddy then this would favour the more pro-active game over the more reactive game.

Yup both of you mentioned it crystal cleaar, the main problem the top 2 have is stop and have a change of direction, this is not possible on blue clay due to slipperiness.

Del Potro struggled a bit coz he loves to slide too, thats one of the primary reason he excelled in FO 2009.

But in anycase the court was slippery, It was clearly evident when Del Boy slip and fell in Semi against Berd, an ackward slip might have ended DP's career which was scary, luckily thats not the case.

So yes the court's slipperiness have to be addressed and Nole and Rafa was right but the way they made the issue publicly and not privately or through ATP became an issue.

Someone made this comment on another forum.

'Darwinism - Adapt or Die'

'Intelligent Design - Wait for God (aka Tiriac) to show up and fix the Blue'.

laverfan wrote:Someone made this comment on another forum.

'Darwinism - Adapt or Die'

'Intelligent Design - Wait for God (aka Tiriac) to show up and fix the Blue'.

Yes the world is the Survival of the Fittest, but the problem here is the fittest predators Lion and Tigers falling prey to wolf pacs.