'Being British doesn't mean you can't play on clay'

For nan 3rd clip this century, location has been a first-round wipeout of British singles players astatine nan French Open.

Six Britons competed successful nan clay-court Grand Slam - Andy Murray, Katie Boulter, Cameron Norrie, Jack Draper, Dan Evans and Harriet Dart - and each mislaid their opening matches successful nan first 3 days.

That has led to immoderate British fans demanding yet different inquest into why nan federation cannot nutrient players who triumph regularly connected nan reddish dirt.

There has been pushback from nan players, though. They constituent to improved performances complete this European clay plaything and reliable draws crossed nan committee astatine Roland Garros.

"I deliberation we're really successful nan champion spot we've been successful connected clay for a agelong time," said Evans.

"I deliberation it's not been a awesome tourney - it's conscionable really it's panned out."

Only 1 British subordinate has won nan French Open singles successful nan Open era - Sue Barker successful 1976.

Since then, Murray reached nan men's last successful 2016, while Johanna Konta went connected a tally to nan women's semi-finals successful 2019.

This year, Britain had 7 nonstop entrants into nan main singles draws - nan six who played and Jodie Burrage, who withdrew because of injury.

That was nan highest number for Roland Garros since 1985.

"So overmuch of playing connected clay is assurance based. It's astir not buying into nan hype of 'Brits can't play connected clay'," said erstwhile British subordinate Naomi Broady.

"Yes, you mightiness not person grown up connected nan aboveground and you mightiness person to study to create that broadside of your game.

"But it doesn't mean you can't do it afloat stop. It's not because you're British that you'll ne'er beryllium capable to play good connected it."

Clay isn't for everyone. The slower aboveground requires patience and it tin beryllium difficult to spot your movement.

Japan's Naomi Osaka erstwhile asked reporters to extremity bringing up her deficiency of wins connected clay because it was getting into her head.

Grass tin beryllium similar. It took Rafael Nadal clip to turn much comfortable connected nan surface, while Norway's Casper Ruud still says "grass is for golf".

Britain's Boulter had not played successful nan French Open main tie until this twelvemonth - astatine nan property of 27 and pinch a seeding of 26 - aft antecedently being reluctant to compete connected clay because of wounded issues.

"It's difficult to determine whether to put much clip connected nan aboveground that you're not comfortable on, and activity retired really your crippled fits connected it," added Broady.

"You're perpetually chasing ranking points successful tennis, truthful are you going to pursuit them connected a aboveground that isn't your favourite aliases support your play short and bypass it?

"It's conscionable changing that mentality and viewing nan aboveground successful a affirmative measurement which fits your game."

According to nan Lawn Tennis Association, location are astir 1,300 clay-courts successful Great Britain. That is astir 5% of nan 23,000 full number of courts.

In contrast, astir 60% of courts successful Spain - 1 of nan starring nations connected nan aboveground - are clay.

British Davis Cup skipper Leon Smith told BBC Radio 5 Live that for clubs, nan costs of maintaining a clay tribunal is difficult - thing not helped by nan British weather.

The LTA's National Tennis Centre has 4 Italian clay courts and nan governing assemblage is "forming caller partnerships" pinch clay-court accommodation successful Barcelona and Girona, wherever young players tin spell for camps and training sessions.

Murray played successful inferior clay tournaments astir Europe from nan property of 12 and moved to Spain's Sanchez-Casal Academy aged 15.

Fran Jones is different British subordinate who went to nan aforesaid academy.

"I do judge location is simply a flimsy reluctance for young British players to return a measurement retired of nan comfortableness zone," Jones told BBC Sport.

"If nan LTA tin build a tolerance connected clay for nan juniors and consciousness they tin measurement retired of nan comfortableness zone, I consciousness it would make things much soft sailing."