clay

Was Djokovic's Drop Shot Strategy at the French Open a Mistake?

Was Djokovic's Drop Shot Strategy at the French Open a Mistake?

The tennis world has now had a week to process the end of the 2020 French Open, but many of us are probably still struggling to understand how the 56th meeting of Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal could turn out to be so underwhelming. As one of the most noticeable changes in Djokovic’s game strategy this year, it is tempting to point blame at the drop shot. But would that be a fair assessment? Using data from the Match Charting Project, let’s see if we can determine if Djokovic’s drop shot strategy was what cost him his latest chance at an 18th Major title.

Early Ups and Downs on Clay

Early Ups and Downs on Clay

After the first weeks of the clay season, who is making fwaves and who has had a wipe out? Here are men’s and women’s twenty biggest movers so far on clay.

Are Surface Specialists a Dying Breed?

Are Surface Specialists a Dying Breed?

The red dirt of Roland Garros, which has held the attention of the tennis world this week, is the most defining feature of the only clay-court Grand Slam. But, when it comes to performance, is clay losing its distinctiveness? In this guest post, Graeme Spence, delves into the closing gap in surface specialisation.

French Open Predictions

French Open Predictions

We are a day away from the first round of the 2018 French Open. Who are tennis fans most likely to see in the final stages of the event? And who among the top contenders were favoured by this year’s draw?