What you can learn from contemporary clay-court tennis 

From Monte Carlo to Madrid, from Rome to Roland Garros, and a host of other venues along the way, watching the world’s best tennis players compete on clay is an exceptional showcase of physical and mental skill. But even if you’ll never hit a forehand with as much topspin as Rafael Nadal, or track down balls as Simona Halep, you too can learn from these greats. Here are four key principles from the world of contemporary clay court tennis certain to improve your game.

BALANCE

According to Hall of Famer Nick Bollettieri, coach of many Roland Garros champions, “Nowhere more than on clay must you expect the unexpected. You’re just not going to have the continuity you have on other surfaces. You have to be ready for the erratic bounces.” Sometimes a clay court will be dry, other times wet – and this can change on the same court in one afternoon. “You need to have control of your body,” says Bollettieri. “Your ready position has to be very low.” Among the best in this department: Novak Djokovic, his posture so organized it’s plausible to imagine Djokovic playing with a phone book (remember those?) atop his head.

SPIN

The linear, flat drive often favored on hard courts generates much less traction on clay than high topspin and short underspin. Watch how well such players as Iga Swiatek and Pablo Carreno Busta shape their swings to generate the most important part of effective clay court tennis: sustained depth. “Early preparation is all about turning your shoulder,” says Bollettieri. As you’re able to pin your back opponent with deep drives, it’s then possible to mimic recent Madrid champions Ons Jabeur and Carlos Alcaraz and deploy the drop shot. It’s also helpful to use the short slice, a shot Roger Federer hits superbly. “Two-handers are uncomfortable digging out a ball that bounces so low,” says Bollettieri.

ENERGY

Nowhere more on clay does this scenario play out: A long rally, each player shifting radically from defense to offense, side to side, up and back – and then the point ends with one player missing a sitter. All that work for nothing can add up to one frustrated and agitated competitor. “Watch how the pros manage themselves in between points,” says Emma Doyle, a former coach Tennis Australia who now runs a company called Open Door Coaching. “These are those micro-moments of resiliency when you need to dissipate negative energy. Great players like Nadal do that in three to five seconds.” While it’s obviously vital to find tranquility in the wake of adversity, Doyle notes that it’s also important to stay calm when good things happen. For example, you’ve just broken serve at 4-all and now have the chance to serve out the set. This is the time to ground oneself and calmly prepare for the next game. Doyle has high praise for Casper Ruud. “He’s ice cool on the clay,” she says.

TACTICS

Rarely has anyone sprinted to victory on clay. With that in mind, a competitor must expect various shifts in momentum – and be ready to alter tactics accordingly. The return of serve provides a tremendous point of entry. “Vary your return position,” says Bollettieri. “If you stand back, you have a better chance to shape the ball and get more depth.” Djokovic is a master at managing space with his service return, be it standing in closely to rob the opponent of time, taking a step or two back or moving to one side or another to handle a particular spin. It’s also helpful to stand in closer – particularly versus second serves -- and either follow in your return like Alcaraz or, in the spirit of Jabeur, hit a drop shot.

Patience also comes into play on clay in a major way. “One thing recreational players can learn is how the great players get the ball on their terms,” says Doyle. “See how patient they are in hitting their shots, hitting the ball deep, deep and deep and only when it’s there do they try for the angle.” Swiatek, Angelique Kerber and Nadal all do this superbly, most notably striking repeated crosscourt drives and then terminating the point with an inside-out forehand.

Balance. Spin. Energy. Tactics. Add them all up and you’ll have a series of “BEST” practices to aid your clay court game.