Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal's clay game rested on one pattern: a left-handed forehand with extreme topspin, hit high to a right-hander's backhand until the reply dropped short. Add relentless sliding defence and the fact that he never seemed to tire, and the result was 14 French Open titles and a record at Roland Garros of 112 wins and four defeats. It is the clearest example of a style built to exploit a surface.