Jiri Lehecka vs Felix Auger-Aliassime was a much-awaited semi-final at the Madrid Open 2024, but it ended in disappointment. The Canadian got a walkover into the finals. It sparked a fiery debate online regarding the health implications of tennis played on clay. While one Jannik Sinner superfan trashed the surface, an ATP scribe, who is a Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz supporter, hit back with a compelling case of his own.
The die-hard Sinner supporter took to X to express his frustrations over the clay surface. The number of injuries and retired hurt cases aided his cause, for which he found some support.
“Can we all agree on the fact that the clay season is trash and too physically demanding and the superior tennis is played on grass and hard court?” wrote Tennis Joker on X.
The number of injuries has been alarming in this tournament – Jakub Mensik in the 3rd round against Felix Auger-Aliassime, Daniil Medvedev against Jiri Lehecka, and Jannik Sinner against Aliassime in the quarter-final, and then Jiri Lehecka against Aliassime again in the semi-final. However, this could result from a multitude of factors, with the jam-packed ATP calendar being one of the main concerns.
Players are playing in too many tournaments, traveling from one country to another in a matter of days, without enough rest for their bodies. But each example stands on its merit, and until further evidence is furnished, nothing is clear. However, blaming the surface which reaped heavily in rewards for so many players in its history, none more so than Rafael Nadal, didn’t sit well with a superfan.
Fred Meyer responded on X and fans were impressed by the fact that he put up a classic Nadal vs Djokovic rally from the Madrid Open 2009 –
“Clay tennis is real tennis. You can’t rely on servebotting to win matches. You have to work for it. That’s what makes it the most entertaining to watch. I’m pretty anybody would rather watch this than a bunch of aces and 2-3 shot rallies.”
Fred Meyer, the official ATP Tour journalist, has previously rushed to Nadal’s defense against scathing online attacks by Novak Djokovic superfans. This is one occasion where he stood against a Jannik Sinner fan. Players don’t usually have a problem with any surface, but their fans lean towards surfaces that suit their idols.
But it’s not just him, Australia’s 5-time Grand Slam champion, Paul McNamee also believes clay court tennis is the best. He also wrote a book ‘Welcome to the Dance: Master Clay to Master Tennis’, in which he suggested that anyone good on the surface will excel in the sport.
Despite Rafael Nadal’s Success, Is Playing on Clay Bad for the Body?
Clay-court specialists have a distinctive style and fervor for the game. Players like Guillermo Vilas, Bjorn Borg, and Rafael Nadal have enhanced the sport of tennis with their game. But is it for everybody? A National Institute of Health report suggests that contrary to what many believe, clay is less inducing to injuries than grass or hard courts.
A 2007 NIH journal, titled “Effects of the playing surface on plantar pressures and potential injuries in Tennis”, clearly explains how stats suggest that clay leads to fewer injuries.
“The influence of playing surfaces on injury pattern has been discussed abundantly. Specifically, lower injury rates have been reported on clay courts, probably due to a lower frictional resistance on these particular surfaces, when compared to hard courts,” went the excerpt.
While such reports have existed for a long, the debate regarding the physical effects of clay and other surfaces is evergreen. Meanwhile, major tournaments like the Madrid Open, the Italian Open, the French Open, etc continue to take place on clay.
At the ongoing Madrid Open, Felis Auger-Aliassime has reached the finals, but under the most unique circumstances. 3 out of his last 4 matches presented him with a walkover. When asked about the same, Aliassime too had a surprising reaction. Here’s what he said:
“It’s crazy. I don’t know if it’s ever happened to a player before. It’s a weird situation to be in. It’s never happened to me in my career so far. A withdrawal or walkover or retirement of this sort.. Back to back like this. I couldn’t believe what was happening when I saw his back failed him & blocked on him. I feel really bad for him. I’ve felt with injuries myself,” Aliassime said.
He continued, “We can all imagine what it feels like to come out on a night like this hoping to win and go through. Having to battle with your opponent and not being able to play. I have a lot of empathy for Jiri. For me, I can’t do anything but try to prepare for Sunday.”
Auger-Aliassime wished Lehecka a steady recovery. Aliassime will be aiming to win his 6th ATP men’s singles title this time around. His opponent is none other than the World No.8, Andrey Rublev. It should be an exciting match.
