The clay court season is about to move into top gear around Europe and Carlos Alcaraz picked a famous location to fine-tune his game ahead of next week’s Monte-Carlo Masters.
Alcaraz spent Wednesday at La Manga Club in Murcia, a location that has also welcomed Rafael Nadal, Juan Carlos Ferrero and Carlos Moya over the years, while it ha also been host to Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup matches.
It is a thriving holiday location for tennis lovers, with 28 courts hosting tennis academies for players of all levels each week during the sprint and summer seasons.
The lucky tourists who were holidaying at La Manga Club were given an extra treat on Wednesday, as Alcaraz was putting in some final hours on court next to the tourists and amateur tennis players as he counted down to clay court season that will climate with his defence of the French Open title at Roland Garros.
Tennis365 writer Kevin Palmer spent a few days with the coaching team at The Racquets Club, La Manga Club here is his verdict on why the red dirt is the toughest surface to master.
UNDERSTANDING CLAY COURTS
Unless you have grown up on clay courts, they are a big challenge to master.
Top spin shots spring off the uneven surface in unpredictable fashion, meaning you need to get used to hitting a lot of shots out of your comfort zone.
They also take some getting used to under your feel, with the moving clay tough for some novice players to grip on as they move around the court.
The key on clay is ensuring you give yourself time to get into position to hit shots and the coaching team at The Racquets Club persistently remind their clients of the need to ensure your starting position is well behind the baseline when you receive serve.
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