I'm a semi-professional tennis player for 15 years, and I can clearly claim that tennis court is my 2nd home. At Wimbledon, the pair will almost certainly meet again. The former World No 1 believes that it only takes coming up against a player serving well to see a player forced into winning tiebreaks to stay in a match. Low bounce, high speed in a nutshell. Novak started playing the game on clay as a child. These four tennis surfaces we just covered all have pros and cons and can all be useful for improving a particular aspect of your game. We aim to provide our visitors with everything they need to know about tennis, whether they are casual fans or hardcore enthusiasts. Novak is always the most popular choice. He has won five Grand Slam titles on hard courts, as opposed to one on clay and one on a hard court, and has never lost a semi-final at the French Open on a hard court. Even if he has natural clay court skills, athletics is the physical and mental activity that brings the most physical and mental challenges. Djoker is clearly dominant on any surface with any bounce or speed. "It is strange, obviously." Despite losing slightly more points (84.1%) on clay courts than on other surfaces, Roger Federer has an advantage due to his better understanding of the surface. This is likely due to the fact that Federer has never won a Grand Slam on clay in over a decade. We are changing more and more tournaments from clay to hard surfaces but the hard surface is more aggressive so there are more and more injuries. The Serb had a 90.14% record on the surface as compared to the Swiss' 87.50% during the 2011-2020 period. But March 3, 2023 Daniil Medvedev insists that he cannot fathom how Novak Djokovic manages to win so many matches on grass. These are techniques that have helped me throughout my career. His overall record on grass is very impressive, and he is definitely one of the best players in the world on this surface. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Andy Murray comes in at No. Furthermore, he is catching up to two other grass court greats, Mats Wilander and Ivan Lendl. The 34-year-old has won eight of the past 12 majors he has played, and will be the heavy . And that quote encompasses precisely why Novak Djokovic must be considered the greatest male tennis player of all time. Serb Novak Djokovic holds a winning percentage of 87.4% on clay courts, making him the best player in the world. According to Vajda, even though it ached to be in the opposing box, they both still maintain a good relationship both on and off the court. Players such as Ivan Lendl, Rod Laver and Guillermo Vilas appear near the top of the index for so many surfaces but are not definitively the greatest, or most dominant, compared to a couple other players. Thats a 14Mph difference for a strong forehand. If the grass was as flat as it was in the days of Ivan Lendl, he likely won at least four Wimbledon titles. Is it better to play in clay or grass? Grass is the historically prominent surface. Check here, Be the first one to comment on this story. In the eight previous meetings between the two, neither Federer nor Djokovic has been able to break through. Grass, Clay, Carpet, and Hard courts (seriously guys, we just covered this). Daniil's misstep at Indian Wells guaranteed Nole the almost mathematical certainty of ending 2021 at the top of the ATP ranking. Improving: The best surface to improve as a tennis player. Daniil Medvedev insists that he cannot fathom how Novak Djokovic manages to win so many matches on grass. Medvedev describes grass as the toughest surface to play on. According to him, Novak Djokovic has the potential to win the 2022 Wimbledon title. Thanasi Kokkinakis bowed out in the second round of Wimbledon 2022, losing to Novak Djokovic 6-7 (7-4) 6-2. In addition to 19 titles on grass at Halle, eight at Wimbledon, and one at Stuttgart, he has won nine on grass at other events. Found mostly in Europe and South-America, clay tennis courts are the dream surface for baseline players. He is now as good as Federers in terms of his Wimbledon credentials because he has a consistent record there and is also more consistent on the court. "From the German corner, I am delighted that Alexander Zverev has made the quarters. Acrylic-topped, this surface offers the most consistent ball bounce of all the outdoor tennis courts. Together, they utterly dominated for several years. Sometimes you don't even have a minute. That's how it is here, unfortunately. But I want to play on grass, I want to play Wimbledon. Just a few days ago, he confirmed that hell play in Paris, Turin, and the Davis Cup. 2011-2020: best winning % on clayNadal 90.98Djokovic 84.62Murray 75.96Thiem 74.87Ferrer 73.91Zverev 70.00Nishikori 69.85Wawrinka 69.23Almagro 67.63Berdych 66.10Min 100 matches. He is followed by Novak Djokovic at 82.50%, while Juan Martin del Potro, Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal round off the top 5. This surface is rather fast and quite popular in Asia, they are the closest thing there is to grass and are a good surface to practice on. The question actually make sense and is worth asking. Roger Federer's hard-court and grass-court career records stand by the top of the indices. He started coaching Maria Sharapova (though she quickly fired him) and previously worked with Andy Roddick to try to incorporate his aggressive mentality and style into the games of those top stars. He is only ahead of Roger Federer (%27192922) in victories, with 84.48%. Not just that, but he was also an immaculate athlete on the indoor courts. "Finally, I hope Ash Barty does well because it would be great for the game to have a top seed on the women's side winning a Grand Slam.Add to that the fact that Australia has had a terrible summer, thanks to the bushfires," Becker signed off. Think it says he is amazing on all of them. The Spanish player has won an outstanding number of titles on this surface, including 11 French Open, and reached an incredible streak of 81 consecutive wins on clay. Our relationship is still very good. The Polish #1 is one of the best in the world on this surface and he has looked the part this week, defeating Pavel Kotov 7-6, 6-1 in his opening match. Though he did not have outright weapons, per se, he could break anybody down and won so many matches on clay by being clever and skillful. It is only three victories behind Novak Djokovic, who holds the record for most wins on the surface by a female. He is also an excellent defender, which allows him to win a lot of long rallies. Die-hard Murray fan but nothing against Novak (except when he plays Murray of course). Nadal has had a long-running rivalry with Roger Federer, dating back to their early days as 14-year-olds. The stats reveal that Novak Djokovic had the best wining percentage on grass, even better than Roger Federer, who has an Open Era record 19 grasscourt titles. I knew I had to have started the match well today, because they are a dangerous opponent. There is no definitive answer to this question as Djokovic has had success on all court surfaces throughout his career. In this article, I will try to tackle every concern and question you may have about the subject. Fast courts were definitely Sampras' friends, as his quick style of play and phenomenal serve-and-volley were dependent on them. Fed, who was in his mid 30s when he won his first title at the age of 17, didnt get past the second round until he was 33. In both of those finals Medvedev went down to heavy-hitters in Tim van Rijthoven and Hubert Hurkacz. Daniil Medvedev says that Novak Djokovics grass court game is unmatched. His 11 titles in Roland Garros and 57 titles on clay courts are an all-time record. This surface has seen the birth of absolutely dominant players such as Rafael Nadal, also known as the King of Clay. Many players do get injured playing on hard courts. But either way, the 85-time tour-level titlist knows he has a chance at joining Laver as the second man in the Open Era to complete the calendar-year Grand Slam in less than two months. Djokovic described Medvedev on Thursday as a player whose "quality is as tough as it gets" on hard courts - 16 of his 17 titles have come on that surface - and the Russian acknowledges he . Even though big serves lose their advantage and this surface is quite forgiving, some players, notoriously known as offensive, have won the French Grand Slam tournament. Anyone who has seen them play on grass knows Fed has a superior game. Since then, he's won 6 AO and 3 USO. Now we know that grass is a fast surface, and players know how to adjust their game accordingly. In fact, Djokovic has won Wimbledon twice and he is the reigning Wimbledon champion. Grass: Federer, Djokovic, Nadal Once again, the player at the top of this surface is clear; Federer's seven Wimbledon titles make it pretty obvious that he is the best grass-courter right now. Because of its slippery surface, he probably prefers to play on the hard court. Noleis able to crack the ball better in the hard-court tournaments, and his career win-loss record in them is staggering. He has a great serve and a great forehand. With a flawless record in majors against Nadal, its easy to see why Novak Djokovic is so revered. Djokovic, as a result, has a quick reaction time and can change directions without waiting for a response. ", Novak Djokovic passes Rafael Nadal, matches Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal admits: 'I had a major breakdown', Stefanos Tsitsipas shocked by the train tragedy in Greece, Miami TD James Blake compares 'incredible story' Emma Raducanu to Maria Sharapova, ATP Dubai: Novak Djokovic falls to Daniil Medvedev and suffers first loss, Novak Djokovic on 2019 Wimbledon final: Statistically, Roger Federer was better, Maria Sharapova on how to build strong brand: Be smart with people you align with, Rafael Nadal: 'I'm doing my best, but we need patience'. Roger Federer has won 19 titles on grass, including ten at Halle, eight at Wimbledon, and one at Stuttgart. What Is The Optimal Weight For A Tennis Racket? In contrast, Nadal was dominant from the start, and Novak Djokovic was also very resilient. He did, however, lose on hard courts, but he retains the number one ranking on both surfaces. Even players who are not particularly talented (such as Nick Kyrgios) dont care about grass, and its the worst surface for them all. Carpet courts are great for fast-paced training, but they can be quite dangerous for your joints. Nadal 2. The international tennis federation (IFT) regulates and classifies these different tennis court surfaces by their theoretical speed. From a practical point of view, ball impacts leave a mark on this surface, which is a great advantage when reviewing whether a ball was out. Djokovic was around but couldn't compete with either of them. I wouldn't say grass is Djokovic's best surface, but he's playing in a time where it almost enhances his play style and together with the way he improved his serve after 2010, plus some clutch performances, he has been very successful indeed. This surface consists of a rubber court cover and is essentially used for practice. Roger Federer is regarded as one of the all-time greatest grass court players, and many tennis analysts consider grass to be his best surface. He has won Wimbledon three times and is the current world No. As Novak has always had to fight through more to win, it's not his natural surface. On hard courts, where he has been the more dominant player in the last few years, he has a winning percentage of 77%. Thanasi is a good guy and we have a great relationship. Nole should have at most 2 Wimbledon titles (if that). Djokovic, one of the most high-profile athletes unvaccinated against Covid-19, said he is still waiting for an outcome having applied for special permission to enter the United States, where. Despite notching another win on clay, Nadal is still the top-ranked player on both surfaces. Their head-to-head record was 730 when Nadal retired from the French Open in 2016, citing a left wrist injury. and John Millman were truly riveting games.We are in the midst of another amazing tussle as I write this, between Rafael Nadal and Nick Kyrgios has just concluded.The Australian has seemed more composed during this tournament and all the good stuff that he has been doing for relief for the bushfire victims seems to have opened a new side of him," Becker added. Each member of the "Big Four" today is an all-round player, but Djokovic is especially good on the hard courts. He has won all of his Grand Slam titles on hard court, and has consistently been a top player on tour on this surface. Despite his impressive track record on grass courts, the Swiss star has an 87.4% winning percentage, but Novak Djokovic has more experience on this surface. All about the most admired couples in tennis, Be the first one to comment on this story. Flying below radar has served. READ MORE: Novak Djokovic leads early favourites for the French Open. Grass courts. How To Choose The Right Tennis Racquet Length, The Importance Of Keeping Your Tennis Shoes In Good Condition. The slower the hard court the better, as he has won a multitude of ATP1000 titles in varying geographic locations and many Australian Open championships. Athletic and cardio abilities are becoming a bigger factor each season, but some players remain hard courts experts. Djokovics best surface is undoubtedly hard court. Novak Djokovic comes in at No. Novak Djokovic faced his first loss of the 2023 season on Friday, falling to Daniil Medvedev in the semifinals of the Dubai Tennis Championships. In terms of clay court performances at Wimbledon, Novak Djokovic is the better clay court player than Roger Federer, Andy Murray, and Nadal. Novak Djokovic, who has won 60 of his 81 career titles on hardcourts, had an 88.38% winning percentage on the surface during the 10-year time-frame, followed by Federer and then Nadal. Maybe his performance in the first round was not that great, but he improves his tennis as matches go by." Murray - whose worst surface is clay I mean, when the biggest contenders at the French Open have clay as their worst surface, that says everything. Berrettini believes that while some struggle under media scrutiny, others thrive on it. Novak Djokovic barely wins 78 percent of the time on his least desired environment. Last year, he defeated Nadal in the finals by attacking his serve games. Can you guess what the impact would be on grass courts? John McEnroe is the all-time king of carpet courts. One may wonder, why is that exactly? Between grass and clay in terms of speed, hard courts come in different types. Now, the four-time Wimbledon champ is threatening Roger Federer's claim as the world's best player on the surface. While it might not look like much, it is the highest number of matches Nadal has lost on his favorite surface to a single player. He never beat Murray, never beat peak or prime Federer, never beat two of the Big-4 in the same tournament, never won Halle or Queens, and at his peak lost to Federer and Murray. They were the Big Two, Fedal, the greatest rivalry yet in tennis history and the greatest players the sport had ever seen. In fact, he has also done considerably better in the hard-court Masters Series tournaments than the clay ones. Novak Djokovic is one of the best tennis players in the world and he is especially dominant on grass courts. While the Spaniard is yet to hit his stride this season, he has been a beast on clay for almost two decades, winning the French Open a record 14 times -- 12 times more than Djokovic. He hopes to be able to turn out at Wimbledon this year after being barred from the 2022 event. 6. Grass Courts (minimum 5 matches) Marian Vajda is a Slovak who is well-known as a professional tennis coach and former player. This is a list of the main career statistics of Serbian professional tennis player Novak Djokovic.Djokovic has won 93 ATP singles titles, including a joint-record of 22 Grand Slam singles titles (tied with Rafael Nadal), six ATP Finals titles, and a record 38 ATP Masters titles. In an interview with Spanish media outlet Dairio de Mallorca, Medvedev predicted that Novak Djokovic will be regarded as one of the greatest grass-court players of all time. The Serb is on a roll in this tournament, and if he wins his first title, he will become the first man in the Open era to win four Grand Slams in a row. In most cases, GOAT debates are devoid of substance. Murray has die hard fans? Therefore, it is not surprising that Djokovic is favored to win on grass courts. If Djokovic wins tomorrow, he would have 5 Wimbledons and 10 hardcourt Slams, which would be the same considering there are twice as many hardcourt Slams. Because Federer has four more finals to look forward to, its simple to see why hes favorite. My performance was really satisfying. 04 Mar 2023 11:08AM (Updated: 04 Mar 2023 11:08AM) Novak Djokovic suffered his first loss of the season in Friday's semi-final defeat to Daniil Medvedev at the Dubai Tennis Championships but he . These two are the top-ranked tennis. Overall, he has a great work ethic. Despite this, he is extremely quick and can stretch, as well as becoming extremely effective on grass due to his sheer determination. In addition to his three Australian Open titles and two French Open titles, Federer has a total of ten US Open titles. 2, with Andy Murray, Dominic Thiem and David Ferrer rounding out the top 5. Its non-toxic composition is made of crushed bricks and mineral aggregates. Since winning his first Wimbledon title in 1977, he has three more. So whether you're looking to learn more about the sport or just stay up-to-date on the latest news, we've got you covered. 2011-2020 best winning % indoorFederer 83.50Djokovic 82.50del Potro 79.27Murray 76.56Nadal 75.47Nishikori 72.04Tsonga 71.01Medvedev 70.00Berdych 68.27Monfils 67.59Min 50 matches, How did Novak Djokovic meet Jelena Ristic? Please logout and login again. The open34Total Count21223 contains 21223 rows. Additionally, Djokovic is a very consistent player, and he is able to use his court coverage and baseline game to wear down opponents on faster courts. Did I increase the intensity by playing against an Australian? Borg was incredibly frustrating to play against, as he naturally knew where to move and at what times. Several big servers and attacking players make the top 10, with John Isner at No. Hard courts are cost-efficient as they are cheaper to build and require close to no maintenance. Throughout tennis history, some winning streaks and dominant performances have defined a particular age or generation. We stay in touch, communicate and send messages to each other. Rafael Nadals nearly 18-year streak in the top ten is ending. 'Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic went over the edge,' says Patrick Mouratoglou, Novak Djokovic counts to 1250 and moves closer to Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic: Probably no Serbia Open in 2024, Ion Tiriac wants his licence back, ATP Acapulco: Taro Daniel scores first top-10 win despite beating Novak Djokovic, ATP Dubai: Lorenzo Sonego keeps Rafael Nadal in top-10, Dominic Thiem: I'm constantly thinking of a life beyond tennis, Novak Djokovic joins Roger Federer, Pete Sampras on exclusive list. He did not have a great end to 2019, so it is particularly satisfying that he has flown below the radar and kept his cool," Becker wrote. Serb Novak Djokovic holds a winning percentage of 87.4% on clay courts, making him the best player in the world. If I had to name just one thing for you to become a better player on grass, it would be this: Stay low and bend your knees A LOT more than usual. So thats where grass is a little bit tough for me, like for example, I lost to [Tim] Van Rijthoven in the [s-Hertogenbosch] final last year and before the final I was feeling great, playing great, and he was having a good day, hitting bombs, after the match, I was like, okay, one hour, he just hit winners all over the place and I lost. Terms of Use and Grievance Redressal Policy. 95-18 on grass (84.07%) 552-105 on hard court (84.02%) It feels like we've always said hard court is Novak's best surface, but is it time for us to rethink that? The material used in the construction of hard courts in the United States is called Decoturf and is usually green or blue. Novak Djokovic is a natural on hard courts, where he has quick reactions and an agility that helps him win. "As predicted, Novak Djokovic is really looking good. The ones who were able to do so have had to adapt their game style and strategy. According to the Wimbledon runner-up, Djokovic is also the best mover across all surfaces. The current era, dating back to 2000s, is one of the best baseline periods of modern history. Currently ranked at No 8, Nadal will exit the top 10 on March 20 for the first. He has won 16 of his 17 titles on hard courts and is yet to earn a title on clay. 6 Best Tennis Rackets for Intermediate Players, 9 Tennis Backhand Drills Improve Your Backhand, Hands-free: Requires close to no maintenance, Higher risk of injury: Can be hard on the knees. Rafael Nadal has achieved more on clay than I may be able to list in this slide (no pun intended). Federer is regarded as one of the greatest grass court players of all time, and many tennis analysts consider grass to be his best surface. Despite winning five Grand Slam titles in total, Novak Djokovic has yet to reach the French Open final. In the end, it all comes down to personal preferences, but clay is often regarded as the best surface. Fewer injuries: Lowest impact on the body. This surface favors offensive players with big serves and a strong net game. Image credit: escribileamauro. Neither fast nor slow, this intermediary surface presents very few disadvantages.