Hard, clay and grass: why each Grand Slam plays differently

The four Grand Slams are played on three different surfaces, which is one reason winning all four is so hard.

Hard courts: Australian Open and US Open

Hard courts give a true, medium-to-fast bounce and suit most styles, which is why they host two of the four majors and most of the tour calendar.

Clay: Roland-Garros

Clay is the slowest surface. The ball bounces high and grips, rallies are longer, and players can slide into their shots. It rewards patience, heavy topspin and fitness.

Grass: Wimbledon

Grass is the fastest surface. The ball skids and stays low, which favours big servers and players who come to the net. The grass season is also the shortest, only a few weeks long.