The pinnacle of the clay-court season is upon us with the 2026 edition of the French Open currently underway. Last year's runners-up, Aryna Sabalenka and Jannik Sinner, are this year's favourites to reign supreme at Roland Garros in the women's and men's singles events.
The clay-court swing is the toughest of all surfaces, placing a greater emphasis on stamina to endure the gruelling rallies that often result from playing on this terrain. Last year, Daily Mail Sport experienced first-hand what it is like to play on clay during a rare one-on-one coaching session with world-renowned tennis coach Patrick Mouratoglou.
Almost 12 months on, we found ourselves back on the clay—this time in Rome and in tandem with the Italian Open, courtesy of ASICS. There was no formal entry to the tournament, to save any personal embarrassment, but there was another learning curve in how to play on clay from some local coaches, while also rubbing shoulders with some of the world's best players.
A Return to the Red Stuff
Daily Mail Sport's Luke Augustus was back on clay, this time learning his craft in Rome in May. The session began by pairing up to play doubles as Augustus reacclimatised to playing on the surface. Situated near the Foro Italico, where the Italian Open is held, is the Casina Poste Parco Fluvial—the location for this latest clay-court foray.
Dressed in appropriate tennis attire, ASICS also provided the footwear needed to aid movement on the red stuff. The shoes were the Solution Speed FF 4 Clay, engineered to enhance performance by focusing on fast and dynamic motions. Speed is one attribute Augustus possesses, and this was a benefit in moving across the baseline while also trying to return any attempted drop shots.
Looking the part and being the part are two different things, and the nerves were definitely felt as the session began. Travelling solo, the drills were initially geared for doubles—meaning a partner had to be found. With many locals speaking Italian, a language barrier existed, but a few 'scusa' (sorry) broke the ice when a shot was mishit.
Lessons from the Pros
Once the nerves had subsided and reacclimatisation to the surface was underway, Augustus tried to remember what Mouratoglou had taught him last year about hitting through the ball—allowing him to play with more pace against opponents. After multiple rallies at a level he adapted to, the level went up infinitely when he began to hit with Jasmine Paolini.
The Italian is ranked No. 13 in the world and was a runner-up at the French Open and Wimbledon in 2024. The 30-year-old is also the defending doubles Olympic Games champion, played at Roland Garros in 2024, and reigning doubles French Open champion—emphasising her ability on clay, especially. During their rally, the gulf in class was evident as Paolini moved Augustus about the court with ease and a big smile on her face. Trying to get in position for the shots wasn't even the hardest part; it was dealing with the kick that came off her shots as they hit the clay. It was a fun and surreal experience, and they did manage to have some rallies before an unforced error would arise from Augustus.
After the physical side came the mental side, as Augustus sat down with world No. 73 Mattia Bellucci to learn what it takes to succeed. The 24-year-old also wears ASICS' Solution Speed FF 4 Clay and gave good advice about being a novice on clay.
'Sliding is definitely important. Clay is a surface where you have a little bit more time, especially with ASICS shoes. If you have the possibility to place yourself in the right position, do it as it means you'll have time to set yourself better for the next shot. This is important because you'll likely hit more shots on clay than on hardcourts so the quality of each shot is more important. Also, with spin and everything, the ball changes a little bit [with each shot]. So, if you don't know about hitting a flat shot or a kick shot, just go with the kick.'
That advice will be heeded going into future clay-court games, and hopefully the whole experience will pay off next time Augustus plays on that surface.
