The four Grand Slams are played on three different surfaces
Clay, grass, and hard court each reward a different style - so the same player can struggle in Paris and dominate at Wimbledon.
Tennis’s four major championships are not played alike. The Australian Open and US Open use hard courts; the French Open is played on clay; and Wimbledon remains the only major on grass.
The surface changes the game itself. Clay has high friction, so the ball grips, slows, and bounces high - favouring patient baseline players and long rallies, which is why the French Open rewards stamina. Grass is the opposite: low friction makes the ball skid through fast and low, historically rewarding big serves and serve-and-volley play. Hard courts sit in between, offering a true, medium-fast bounce.
The US Open itself has changed surfaces, moving from grass to clay and, since 1978, to a fast hard court called DecoTurf.
Because each surface suits different strengths, winning all four majors - a true calendar Grand Slam - is one of the rarest feats in the sport.
Sources & references
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