Van Sias
IN 2010, PLAYERS FROM SPAIN WON 11 OF THE 21 TOURNAMENTS on the ATP Tour contested on clay, including all of the World Tour Masters 1000 events and the French Open, which were captured by world No. 1 Rafael Nadal.
Needless to say, despite the success on other surfaces, when it comes to digging in the dirt, the “Spanish Armada”—currently led by Nadal, David Ferrer and Fernando Verdasco—reigns supreme. 
But what can you learn from those three when it comes to playing on the soft courts in your after-work match or your weekend tournament? The first thing is to prepare for a different experience than what you would find on the hard courts.
“The first thing you need to do is focus on the ball, work on your relationship between you and the ball,” says Jason Speirs, adult program director at Roosevelt Island Racquet Club in New York City. “You need to get it in your head that you’re going to be hitting a lot of tennis balls. It’s not about hitting winners, it’s about playing points.”
These are facets of the game the Spaniards excel at, says Speirs, who also works extensively with the club’s junior players, adding, “That’s why you have ten Spaniards in the top 50.”
Tennis View spoke with Speirs; Clive Ullyett, head tennis coach at ProForm Tennis in Rye, NY; and Brian Jordan, director of tennis at the Lakewood Golf Club at the Grand Hotel in Point Clear, Ala., to discuss the best elements Spain’s “Big Three” bring to the court and what the recreational player can learn and apply to their clay court game.
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