5 greatest male claycourt players of all time

Playing on clay is usually considered to be the toughest test for a tennis player, as it tests their physical strength and mental stamina to the fullest. It is quite normal for a claycourt slug-fest to last 3-4 hours, and therefore, it often turns out to be an energy-sapping exercise for the players.

However, there are some players who prefer the slow pace and grind of claycourts. Rallies are usually longer on clay, and baseliners usually excel on it. The powerful serve-and-volley game of a player can be completely nullified on clay, and he might struggle to cope with the lack of pace on the surface.

There have been quite a few claycourt specialists in the history of tennis. Countries like Spain, Sweden and Argentina have produced a plethora of claycourt greats, and some of those players feature in this list too.

Let us take a look at the list of the 5 greatest claycourt players of all time:

5. Mats Wilander

Mats Wilander

Mats Wilander was the best tennis player in the world for a considerable period of time in the mid-1980s, and he remains one of the finest claycourt players of all time. Wilander won the French Open thrice, and retired with a total tally of 20 claycourt titles.

The Swede great had a brilliant return of serve and used to commit very few unforced errors. He was a complete player, and also managed to win the US Open on hardcourt and the Australian Open on grass.

However, Wilander was arguably at his best on the red clay of Paris, and beat players like John McEnroe and Ivan Lendl there. He hit his groundstrokes really well, and had a very good backhand too. He was not a very swift mover on the court, or else he would have won even more titles on the dirt.

Still, Wilander should definitely feature in this list because of his overall achievements on clay. It has to be kept in mind that he excelled in most of the claycourt matches featuring Sweden in Davis Cup too.

4. Gustavo Kuerten

Gustavo Kuerten

Hailing from Brazil, the land of football, Gustavo Kuerten was a player who always had a smile on his face. There was a touch of the Samba in the way he went about his task on a tennis court, but he was a relentless achiever on it as well.

Kuerten won three French Open titles in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and remained the premier claycourt player in the world for close to half a decade.

Kuerten probably had one of the best single-handed backhands ever seen in tennis, and also a very good return of serve. He was a strict baseliner, and had to compete with the likes of Marcelo Rios and Thomas Muster for supremacy on clay.

Kuerten won 15 career titles on clay, and triumphed in a number of Masters tournaments held on it. With a smiling face and an inescapable grunt while playing his strokes, Kuerten made claycourt tennis look spectacular, as he etched his name permanently in the annals of history.

3. Ivan Lendl

Ivan Lendl

Ivan Lendl was known for his supreme fitness, athleticism and fighting spirit. He spent a lot of time as the No. 1 player in the world, and also won the French Open thrice. He was the greatest claycourt player among his contemporaries, which included the likes of John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors.

Lendl had great court coverage and a beautiful single-handed backhand. He also had a superb return of serve, and committed very few errors.

Lendl could have won the French Open in the late 1970s itself, but the presence of a certain Bjorn Borg in the tennis circuit prevented him from doing so. Lendl had to wait till Borg’s retirement in the early 1980s to taste success at the French Open.

The Czech won 26 career titles on clay, and remained a fierce competitor throughout his career. He is also widely considered the father of the modern power baseline style of tennis; he revolutionized the game with his hard-hit groundstrokes and emphasis on fitness.

2. Bjorn Borg

Bjorn Borg

It is almost impossible for an ordinary player to excel both on clay and grass, but then, Bjorn Borg was no ordinary player. He won 6 French Open and 5 Wimbledon titles in a whirlwind career that lasted less than a decade.

Borg was the epitome of calmness and composure on a tennis court, and preferred to wear his opponent out rather than try to overpower him with booming groundstrokes.

Borg ruled over Roland Garros in the mid and late 1970s, and regularly beat the likes of Lendl and Connors on the red clay of Paris. He won 30 career titles on clay, and remained a role model for many young and upcoming players.

Borg was a baseliner with a great return of serve and unerring groundstrokes. He also had great stamina, and seemed to be tireless in his approach.

Borg could have easily won a few more titles had he not retired from tennis at the age of 27.

1. Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal is unquestionably the greatest claycourt player of all time. He has won the French Open a record 11 times already, and looks good for a few more.

Nadal has one of the most consistent service returns ever, and awesome court coverage. Blessed with possibly the greatest pair of legs in the history of tennis, Nadal can rule over any opponent in a claycourt slug-fest - and he has repeatedly done so over his all-time great peers like Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.

It is very difficult for any player to hit a winner past Nadal on clay. The Spaniard also has vicious top-spin on his forehand, and usually hits his groundstrokes deep into the other half of the court.

The fact that he only lost twice in 14 years at Roland Garros is a testament of his brilliance on clay.

Nadal has won 35 career titles on the surface so far, and that number could still increase. He is by far the greatest claycourt player in the game’s history, and might end up with 12 or 13 French Open titles at least. He has also won a record 24 Masters titles on the surface.