Week 24 - ATP 250 - AEGON Championships, Eastbourne - Main draw

Salmon · Tennis legend

Week 24 - ATP 250 - AEGON Championships, Eastbourne - Main draw

Salmon · Tennis legend

indiana wrote:

He really hadn't played much cat all on grass on the circuit ( futures up ) before these last 2 years and I think it was more becuase he was known to be comparatively fairly good on clay that I used to read some thoughts that he might not be that good on grass.
Used to hear that about Rafa too

You still should but it's just that Wimbledon has slowed down so much these days.

indiana · Tennis legend

Salmon wrote:
Favourite surface doesn't equal best surface. One can like history at school but be better at maths so why not in tennis, hey!

You just need to ask Andy Murray.

-- Edited by Salmon on Thursday 16th of June 2011 10:05:27 AM

Yep, that'll be the Andy Murray whose ATP profile says "he considers his serve as best part of his game".

While it's nice to knock down a few aces from time to time, err Andy, it's not ! Quite the opposite

Salmon · Tennis legend

Ohh, I didn't see that before!

What I had meant was that Andy had repeatedly said that clay is his favourite surface (his ITF profile says so, too) inspite of journos and fans repeatedly questioning his results on dirt.

-- Edited by Salmon on Thursday 16th of June 2011 10:23:26 AM

indiana · Tennis legend

I used to think the clay thing with Andy was something that had been around for ages and never got updated ( like almost back to his Barcelona days ). Don't know if similar with his serve, though iin that case I am pretty sure I've actually heard him comment too that it's the best or favourite part of his game.

As an aside, but related to feelings I have held for some time, and not been exactly disproved in the last month or so, I have actually always thought, in spite of his results, that there was no real reason why Andy shouldn't succeed on clay. It does surprise me if clay really is his favourite surface and still certainly needs more to begin to suggest it's his "best". But I do think he has the nous, tactical ability and consistency when playing well to be a real force on the surface. And his second serve is probably less of a problem.

Woudn't actually amaze me if he eventually broke his Grand Slam duck at Roland Garros.

-- Edited by indiana on Thursday 16th of June 2011 10:44:08 AM

philwrig · Hall of fame

The big problem Andy has when playing on clay is his movement. Its not quite like playing on an ice rink for him but it is definitely more difficult for him than it is for Rafa, Novak etc.,

RJA · Hall of fame

I would guess that Andy enjoys playing on clay because he prefers to win well constructed points where he out thinks his opponents rather than just blasting them off the court.

eblunt · Club Coach

Andy's strengths are his ability to play from the baseline, passing shots, and counter punching IMO. All of which fit in well with playing well on clay courts.

However, clay seems to negate Andy's variety of shots somewhat; the slice that can be so effective on grass, tends to sit up for hitting on clay.