Famously, in 2007, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal faced off in an exhibition event on a court that was half grass and half clay. During that time, Federer was seen as one of, if not the best, to ever play on a grass court, while the same was starting to be said of a young Nadal on clay.
But what are the key differences between each surface, and which active players are the best on hard, clay and grass courts?
Hard courts - Balanced and true
1. Jannik Sinner - Aryna Sabalenka
2. Carlos Alcaraz - Elena Rybakina
3. Novak Djokovic - Iga Swiatek
Hard courts are the most common surfaces. They are the most balanced speed-wise, so a wider range of players thrive on them.
With the bounce of the ball being most true and consistent, it is easier to prepare your next strike. Therefore, players who hit cleaner, flatter shots tend to enjoy it the most.
It also offers the most traction, so players can change direction and move off the spot much more smoothly.
Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka have been the most dominant on hard courts over the last few years. The former hits the ball so sweetly and with such a flat trajectory, while Sabalenka is the most powerful hitter in the women's game.
While Carlos Alcaraz isn't too far behind, purely because he is one of the most well-rounded players the game has ever seen and has a forehand nearer the Gods, Sinner's expertise on indoor hard courts means he has the edge.
Indoor courts don't suffer from external factors like the weather, so the opponent's ball is even more predictable for Sinner, allowing him to unleash his groundstrokes without any concern. Meanwhile, Alcaraz enjoys being more unpredictable, which is somewhat offset indoors.
Both Alcaraz and Sinner have won three hard-court Grand Slams, but the Italian has won the ATP Finals twice indoors, while the Spaniard is yet to win that.
Meanwhile, Sabalenka has won four Grand Slams on hard courts and reached seven finals. Elena Rybakina's return to form has seriously troubled Sabalenka, however, due to how unique a timer and striker of the ball she is.
She is the best server in the women's game, hits it flatter than anyone else, and has recently won the Australian Open and the WTA Finals.
Novak Djokovic is the best hard-court player of all time, with his ability to slide and change direction unmatched, as well as his return of serve and precision from the back of the court contributing to his greatness. However, naturally, he isn't the force he was a decade ago.
Iga Swiatek could feel hard done by being number three, and perhaps there is a bit of recency bias, but if Rybakina is at her best, she has the edge, despite Swiatek's many titles on hard courts, including the US Open and WTA Finals.
Her game is certainly more suited to another surface, due to her heavy topspin strike and the fact that she sometimes struggles against big hitters. But her all-time great movement and consistency from the back of the court make her a threat on any surface.
Key player traits: Consistency, clean hitting, and strong groundstrokes
Clay courts - Slow and bouncy
1. Carlos Alcaraz - Iga Swiatek
2. Jannik Sinner - Aryna Sabalenka
3. Lorenzo Musetti - Coco Gauff
Arguably the most entertaining surface that forces players to be creative and patient from the back of the court, clay slows play significantly, and the loose texture makes the ball bounce much higher due to the improved grip, fizzing up off the dirt.
However, it is extremely difficult to move on because the clay is granular, making changes of direction tricky.
Swiatek is unquestionably the best clay-court player in tennis, having won the French Open four times at just 24 years old. As previously mentioned, she is one of the best movers the sport has ever seen, and makes sliding on clay look so effortless.
Her forehand is also a frightening weapon, with her heavy topspin kicking up off the surface and pushing players back, allowing her to take total control of rallies.
With Alcaraz, his remarkable speed and movement mean it is so difficult to hit winners past him, and his forehand has so much zip and spin on it. He can use his variety to end rallies, with his drop shot arguably the greatest ever. On clay, drop shots are more effective because the ball completely dies with the backspin.
Sinner and Sabalenka are similar in the sense that they have the firepower and weaponry to penetrate through the clay, hitting winners where lots of players simply aren't able to on the slow surface. Also, the former is an exceptional slider, a key trait of being able to play well on clay. Neither have won the French Open before, but both came agonisingly close in final defeats in 2025.
Lorenzo Musetti has developed beyond a clay-court specialist, but there is absolutely little doubt that the red stuff is his favourite. Last year, he reached the semi-finals in Rome and at the French Open, and the final of Monte Carlo. Every single time, he lost to Alcaraz.
He strikes his forehand with a heavy amount of topspin, and because he has a single-handed backhand, he has more time to wind it up on clay. He is also very elegant and graceful around the court, and is a wonderful shotmaker, which stands out more on clay.
Coco Gauff is by far and away the quickest player in women's tennis, so playing against her on clay is a nightmare, as she simply gets everything back in the court. Her forehand is normally a major weak point, but on this surface, she has more time to adjust herself on that wing and isn't as rushed.
Her success on clay is emphasised by the fact that she is the defending French Open champion, and also reached the final in 2022.
Key player traits: Variety, movement, and endurance
Grass courts - Quick and low
1. Carlos Alcaraz - Elena Rybakina
2. Jannik Sinner - Aryna Sabalenka
3. Novak Djokovic - Iga Swiatek
Grass is the quickest of all the surfaces, and because it is the most slippery, the ball stays low and the bounce is sometimes inconsistent. Moving on it is very unique, as you need to take shorter steps and don't slide the same way you do on clay.
Big serving and hitting players flourish on grass, as well as those who are able to slice and use the drop shot really well, keeping the ball low.
It is important to keep in mind that grass is the most difficult surface to master, too. Many players growing up wouldn't have access to grass courts because of their high maintenance costs and how easily they are affected by bad weather.
Hot climates like Spain's are unlikely to have many grass courts because they require a lot of water, making them too difficult to maintain.
Additionally, the grass-court season is the shortest on tour, usually spanning just six weeks, and players are only really able to compete in two or three tournaments a year. It is so difficult to get much practice or rhythm on it.
Alcaraz is a two-time Wimbledon champion, and grass is arguably his best surface because of the explosive nature of his footwork, as well as his volleying skills. His drop shot is also a serious weapon because of how low the ball stays on the grass.
On the women's side, it is more difficult to pinpoint one clear-cut grass superstar, but Rybakina unquestionably has the best traits. Wimbledon champion in 2022, she has unparalleled serving and the ability to keep the ball low, making her the standout.
Last year, Sinner beat Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final, largely due to how his serve clicked throughout the tournament. He was so tough to break, and his improved movement and flat ball trajectory helped him to the title.
Djokovic is one of the best two or three grass-court players ever, thanks to the reliability of his serve, his net game, his flexibility, and his ability to change direction better than anyone in the history of the game.
But yet again, age is the only reason he isn't higher.
Despite not winning Wimbledon, Sabalenka is a three-time semi-finalist in London and is slightly ahead of 2025 champion Swiatek.
This is because Sabalenka has shown more consistency on the surface. Swiatek had majorly struggled on grass prior to last year and was barely ever a factor at Wimbledon.
Sabalenka is a big server and hitter, and her underrated volleying skills make her very accomplished on grass. In 2025, Swiatek had a stunning serving performance at Wimbledon and improved her footwork on the surface tenfold, so she undoubtedly earns a top-three spot.
Key player traits: Big serving, volleying and exceptional footwork