Chapter 1
The magic of the red clay court
Chapter 2
The making of a Mallorcan warrior
Chapter 3
The King of Roland Garros
Chapter 4
The physics of the heavy topspin
YOUR GOAL
Master of Rafael Nadal on clay
Ch 1 · The magic of the red clay court
torito Rafael Nadal King of Clay
King of the clay, King of the clay! Fourteen titles at Roland Garros, yeah!
torito Players must slide into their shots on clay rather than stopping abruptly as they do on hard courts.
torito Clay courts slow down the tennis ball while bouncing it significantly higher than other surfaces.
Fun Fact
Clay court origins: The first clay courts were created in Cannes in 1880 to protect grass from the hot Mediterranean sun.
Glossary
clay court (noun)
A tennis court with a playing surface made of clay or crushed brick. Rafael Nadal mastered this slow surface to win fourteen French Open titles at Roland Garros.
A tennis court with a playing surface made of clay or crushed brick. Rafael Nadal mastered this slow surface to win fourteen French Open titles at Roland Garros.
Quiz
Although tennis champion Rafael Nadal is famous for his dominant left-handed play on the court, which hand does he naturally use for most everyday tasks like writing and eating?
Quiz
Approximately how deep is the entire layered foundation of a Roland Garros clay court?
Quiz
Which brothers are credited with creating the first clay courts to protect grass from heat?