{"id":54417,"date":"2025-04-27T09:35:09","date_gmt":"2025-04-27T09:35:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/54417\/"},"modified":"2025-04-27T09:35:09","modified_gmt":"2025-04-27T09:35:09","slug":"alexander-zverev-has-noticed-something-about-clay-courts-that-affects-most-players-except-rafael-nadal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/54417\/","title":{"rendered":"Alexander Zverev has noticed something about clay courts that affects most players &#8216;except Rafael Nadal&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Alexander Zverev struggled on clay courts at the beginning of 2025 but now looks to have found his feet.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The world number two played two clay court tournaments in South America for the first time this year, failing to reach the semi-finals of either the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thetennisgazette.com\/tag\/argentina-open\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Argentina Open<\/a> or Rio Open.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thetennisgazette.com\/news\/tennis-fans-react-as-fragile-alexander-zverev-continues-concerning-atp-streak-with-loss-to-matteo-berrettini-in-monte-carlo\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Zverev then lost to Matteo Berrettini<\/a> in his opening match at the Monte-Carlo Masters, as his 2025 clay-court record fell to 3-3.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/GettyImages-2209195341-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Photo by Clive Brunskill\/Getty Images\" \/>Photo by Clive Brunskill\/Getty Images<\/p>\n<p>Bouncing back in Munich, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thetennisgazette.com\/news\/alexander-zverev-sends-message-to-ben-shelton-after-beating-him-in-the-munich-open-final\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Zverev beat Ben Shelton<\/a> in the final to clinch his first title of the season.<\/p>\n<p>Carrying that form through to Madrid, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thetennisgazette.com\/news\/alexander-zverev-pinpoints-the-moment-his-season-turned-around-after-struggling-for-months\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Zverev took down Roberto Bautista Agut<\/a> in his opener, as he now shares his thoughts on clay.<\/p>\n<p>Alexander Zverev says conditions are \u2018different\u2019 at every clay court tournament<\/p>\n<p>Speaking to the media after his win over Bautista Agut at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thetennisgazette.com\/tag\/madrid-open\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Madrid Open<\/a>, Zverev shed some insight into the varying conditions players are battling with on clay.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>\u201cClay is the surface where the biggest differences happen,\u201d said <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thetennisgazette.com\/tag\/alexander-zverev\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Zverev<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere is a big difference whether it\u2019s 30 degrees or ten degrees, there is a big difference whether it\u2019s raining or it\u2019s completely dry. Big difference obviously in altitude, sea level.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen it\u2019s cold, it feels like you\u2019re running with the clay; when it\u2019s hot, it feels like the clay is just on top of the court, like a powder almost, so there are big differences in different courts, also in weather conditions on clay.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Zverev suggested that different courts suit different players, but admitted there was one notable exception.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cA lot of the times, except if you\u2019re <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thetennisgazette.com\/tag\/rafael-nadal\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rafa [Nadal]<\/a>, then it doesn\u2019t matter where you play, but a lot of the times different players win on surfaces with different conditions,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"640\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/GettyImages-71177590-1024x640.jpg\" alt=\"Photo by Clive Brunskill\/Getty Images\" \/>Photo by Clive Brunskill\/Getty Images<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor example, I a lot of the time win when it\u2019s hot, right.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAll the Masters 1000 tournaments on clay I won were always in conditions where it was very warm.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLast week in Munich, I won because it was very warm, the years before in Munich, I could barely win a match because it was eight degrees and sometimes snowing, it really makes a big difference.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"inline-links multi\">\n<li>2025 Munich Open \u2013 Winner<\/li>\n<li>2024 Munich Open \u2013 Lost in QF<\/li>\n<li>2023 Munich Open \u2013 Lost in 2R<\/li>\n<li>2022 Munich Open \u2013 Lost in 2R<\/li>\n<li>2021 Munich Open \u2013 Lost in QF<\/li>\n<li>2019 Munich Open \u2013 Lost in QF<\/li>\n<li>2018 Munich Open \u2013 Winner<\/li>\n<li>2017 Munich Open \u2013 Winner<\/li>\n<li>2016 Munich Open \u2013 Lost in SF<\/li>\n<li>2015 Munich Open \u2013 Lost in QF<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u201cI think non-tennis people who watch tennis don\u2019t really understand what that means, but there is a massive difference in conditions.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The German explained how the conditions in Madrid suit him far more than they did at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thetennisgazette.com\/tag\/monte-carlo-masters\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Monte-Carlo Masters<\/a> earlier this month.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/GettyImages-2211962339-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Photo By Oscar J. Barroso\/Europa Press via Getty Images\" \/>Photo By Oscar J. Barroso\/Europa Press via Getty Images<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe altitude, we\u2019re at 700 metres altitude, the ball is much faster, much higher bounce. I think the altitude makes a big difference,\u201d said Zverev.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAlso, all three big courts it feels like you\u2019re playing an indoor tournament.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s a reason why, for example, in Monaco I\u2019ve never been past the semi-finals, but Madrid and Rome I both won twice before.\u201d<\/p>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Tournament<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>2016<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>2017<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>2018<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>2019<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>2020<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>2021<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>2022<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>2023<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>2024<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>2025<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Monte-Carlo<\/td>\n<td>2R<\/td>\n<td>3R<\/td>\n<td>SF<\/td>\n<td>3R<\/td>\n<td>\u2013<\/td>\n<td>3R<\/td>\n<td>SF<\/td>\n<td>3R<\/td>\n<td>3R<\/td>\n<td>2R<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Madrid<\/td>\n<td>\u2013<\/td>\n<td>QF<\/td>\n<td>W<\/td>\n<td>QF<\/td>\n<td>\u2013<\/td>\n<td>W<\/td>\n<td>F<\/td>\n<td>4R<\/td>\n<td>4R<\/td>\n<td>\u2013<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Rome<\/td>\n<td>2R<\/td>\n<td>W<\/td>\n<td>F<\/td>\n<td>2R<\/td>\n<td>\u2013<\/td>\n<td>QF<\/td>\n<td>SF<\/td>\n<td>4R<\/td>\n<td>W<\/td>\n<td>\u2013<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<p>Alexander Zverev\u2019s record at clay Masters 1000 tournaments<\/p>\n<p>Zverev will no doubt hope to add a third Madrid Open title to his resume at this year\u2019s tournament.<\/p>\n<p>Alexander Zverev set to take on Spain\u2019s last hope Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in Madrid<\/p>\n<p>Spanish fans were hoping to see their home hero win another title in 2025, before <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thetennisgazette.com\/news\/carlos-alcaraz-drops-hint-over-whether-he-will-play-the-french-open-and-rome-after-withdrawing-from-madrid\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Carlos Alcaraz withdrew from Madrid<\/a> due to injury.<\/p>\n<p>Alcaraz\u2019s fellow Spaniards failed to impress in his absence, as just one home player made it through to the third round.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"inline-links multi\">\n<li>Jaume Munar \u2013 Lost to Roberto Bautista Agut in 1R<\/li>\n<li>Pablo Carreno Busta \u2013 Lost to Nuno Borges in 1R<\/li>\n<li>Pedro Martinez \u2013 Lost to Francisco Comesana in 1R<\/li>\n<li>Martin Landaluce \u2013 Lost to Cameron Norrie in 1R<\/li>\n<li>Roberto Bautista Agut \u2013 Lost to Alexander Zverev in 2R<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Alejandro Davidovich Fokina will be flying the flag for Spain when he takes on the number one seed, but he will be a big underdog for their match, having beaten him just once previously.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/GettyImages-2211322678-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Photo by Alberto Gardin\/Eurasia Sport Images\/Getty Images\" \/>Photo by Alberto Gardin\/Eurasia Sport Images\/Getty Images<\/p>\n<p>The Spaniard got the better of Zverev at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thetennisgazette.com\/tag\/canadian-open\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Canadian Open<\/a> two years ago but lost their one previous meeting on the clay.<\/p>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Match<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>Winner<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>Loser<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>Score<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>2023 China Open \u2013 2R<\/td>\n<td>Alexander Zverev<\/td>\n<td>Alejandro Davidovich Fokina<\/td>\n<td>6-7, 6-2, 6-1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>2023 Canadian Open \u2013 2R<\/td>\n<td>Alejandro Davidovich Fokina<\/td>\n<td>Alexander Zverev<\/td>\n<td>6-1, 6-2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>2021 French Open \u2013 QF<\/td>\n<td>Alexander Zverev<\/td>\n<td>Alejandro Davidovich Fokina<\/td>\n<td>6-4, 6-1, 6-1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>2020 Cologne 1 \u2013 SF<\/td>\n<td>Alexander Zverev<\/td>\n<td>Alejandro Davidovich Fokina<\/td>\n<td>7-5, 7-6<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>2020 US Open \u2013 4R<\/td>\n<td>Alexander Zverev<\/td>\n<td>Alejandro Davidovich Fokina<\/td>\n<td>6-2, 6-2, 6-1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<p>Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and Alexander Zverev\u2019s head-to-head record<\/p>\n<p>It remains to be seen who will come out on top when the pair face off for a sixth time.<\/p>\n<p>Zverev will take on Davidovich Fokina for a place in the fourth round of the 2025 Madrid Open on Sunday, April 27.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Alexander Zverev struggled on clay courts at the beginning of 2025 but now looks to have found his&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":54418,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4105],"tags":[4721,4294,4296,79,1068,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-54417","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-tennis","8":"tag-alexander-zverev","9":"tag-atp","10":"tag-rafael-nadal","11":"tag-sports","12":"tag-tennis","13":"tag-uk","14":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114409250807918285","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54417","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=54417"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54417\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/54418"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=54417"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=54417"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=54417"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}