Russian tennis player Andrey Rublev has raised concerns about the clay courts at the upcoming French Open. In a recent interview, he described the outside courts as slippery and lacking proper clay surface. His comments come ahead of this year's Roland Garros tournament.
Speaking to Championat, Rublev said the conditions on smaller courts in Paris no longer resemble traditional clay. “It’s like you’re not playing on clay at all – it’s slippery, concrete, and there is not much sand,” he stated. He noted that the difference between main stadium courts and outside courts has grown more pronounced in recent years, particularly since the pandemic period. Rublev added that for the last two or three years the smaller courts appear to have almost no soil at all. Preparation of the Roland Garros courts typically begins in early April, with the main stadium courts like Philippe-Chatrier finished later to maintain quality. Players often train on these central courts ahead of their matches during the two-week event.