Don’t be a ‘cow on ice:’ Sliding key to French Open success

Before Roger Federer briefly returned to claycourt tennis in 2019 — a decade removed from his French Open title — his confidence was low, he explained, “because I don’t even remember how to slide anymore.”

Before Maria Sharapova figured out the necessary footwork to claim two trophies in Paris, she joked the rust-colored surface made her look like “a cow on ice.”

And anyone who’s ever seen Rafael Nadal play on clay knows his ability to glide along the ground to reach shots that others can’t is as big a reason for his record 12 championships at Roland Garros as his bullwhip of a forehand or his unflagging spirit.

One of the common sights at the French Open, postponed from now until September because of the coronavirus pandemic, are the marks left in the clay by sliding players. A big secret to success on the surface is the skill of the slide, which involves getting into position to hit a ball and quickly changing directions for the next shot.

“Clay-court tennis requires a blend of aggression with patience and tactics and physicality. If you’re a natural mover, as Nadal is on this surface, that’s not something that has to come into your focus. If you’re not … it’s so different from what you’re used to playing on predominantly, a hard court, where your footing is secure,” said Jim Courier, a four-time major champion.

“Clay requires a bit of a different mindset. You have to be ready to hit that extra shot. You have to be ready to slide, dig in, play some defense.”

In the nearly 30 years since Courier’s titles at Roland Garros in 1991-92, only one other French Open was won by an American man, Andre

Agassi in 1999.

More often it is someone from Europe — usually Nadal, of course — or South America, such as Gustavo Kuerten.

“I was lucky to be raised in Florida, where the bulk of the tournaments you play as a youngster are on the green clay,” Courier said. “So I learned how to slide at a very early age. For me it was very natural. I had no issues with it, no mental hang-up at all.”

Fairfield native James

Blake, a retired American player who reached No. 4 in the rankings, said he never felt comfortable with the kind of movement required for clay.

During a practice session in Rome in 2004, Blake tried sliding to reach a ball but his foot got caught and he slammed head-first into the net post, breaking his neck.

“I don’t think,” Blake said, “that would have happened on another surface.”