Playing on clay is something “very traditional”in the tennis world. Clay courts are expected to be red (ups.. with some exceptions in USA…), people are expected to slide and to get red dirty. What’s going to happen in Madrid? Can people slide? And are they going to become blue like aliens?
Why Blue Clay?
According to the organization, the blue clay will be better on TV and it reflects the colours of the main sponsor: Mutua Madrilena
Question Marks
There are some question marks.
First, there is an issue regarding the fafety of tennis players. We have already experienced a lot of nasty injuries at the beginning of the season because of tricky courts (especially in Montecarlo). Benneteau, Monaco and Petkovic are going to be out of the game for nasty injuries for lot of time. Is the new blue clay going to cause the same problems?
In addition to this, there is the question mark regarding the performance. Nobody really knows if that is going to be slow, fast, with high bounce etc. This is something that botherespecially “routine-like” players like Nadal that does not like changes. He doesn’t even like when two back to back tournaments adopt different balls!
Let’s see what the top players’ comments
RAFA
The King of (red) Clay is really against it. He said. “You have back-to-back Madrid and Rome,” said Nadal, “Madrid is the only tournament you are playing with high altitude, and then now you are putting a different colour of clay. There can’t be too much difference between Madrid and Rome.” … mmm Rafa should be bothered also by another factor: Djokovic, the guy that beat him last year in the finals in both Rome and Madrid.
NOLE
“As far as I know, most of the top players I talked to, nobody agreed. I never played on blue clay. Rafa didn’t. Roger didn’t. If you don’t have the top players agreeing on that, it doesn’t make sense for me really,” Djokovic said. “It’s going to be interesting to step on the blue clay obviously. I’m not blaming them … But definitely there is a certain rule within the ATP that the president is able to make decisions by himself without having players agree to that. That rule has to be changed because it’s not fair,”
ROGER
The Swiss Maestro wants to give it a chance. “Tiriac does a lot of good for tennis, so let’s see how this goes,” he said “I’m also all for tradition, but I understand that you have to try new things,” he added “But the courts in Madrid must be absolutely perfect – otherwise it will be a debacle for the tournament,”
“I have no idea how this will work out,” said Federer. “Nadal was vehemently against it, and I supported him. He feels it is a break with a tradition to play on blue clay. What would be next? If every tournament could have its way would we next play on grey, green or red?”
ANDY
The Scott can see a better perspective “The timing of it is what makes it difficult for the players,” he added. “I’ve never played on a blue claycourt before. I have no idea how the surface will play. So that will be a new experience.”
Andy added that the blue clay “makes the tournament unique and a bit different (which) is good for the tour”.
WHAT ABOUT TIRIAC?
The blue clay is the brainchild of Ion Tiriac.
The Romanian tennis legend expresses here his opinion about the blue clay and the overall controversy.
Maybe the best comment came from Roger. Let’s give it a try, but if the courts are bad… it can be a disaster!
