John McEnroe and Pete Sampras probably wished they had never set foot on it; Kim Clijsters would rather see the season disappear. Their mutual problem? Clay court tennis which poses another supreme examination again here over the next two weeks when the French Open takes place. Unlike grass, hard court or indoor surfaces, clay is slow, unforgiving and has been the graveyard of many a reputation down the years, putting the body under enormous strain in the process. It's where guile, stamina and fitness take precedence over the big serve or the dying art of serve-and-volley.
Just ask Sampras. The American won a record 14 Grand Slams in his career but the closest he got to a Roland Garros final was making the semis in 1996. McEnroe collected seven Grand Slams and could have cracked the French Open in 1984 when he let a two-sets lead over Ivan Lendl in the final slip away.
Sampras's last appearance here was 2002 when he was knocked out in the first round. "It's very difficult, a pretty empty feeling," said Sampras after a defeat against Italy's Andrea Gaudenzi, his Parisian swansong.
Andy Roddick has never got beyond the third round here and in 2004, he lost in the second round to France's Olivier Mutis. "It sucks. It's extremely disappointing," admitted Roddick.
Despite being no respecter of reputations, Roland Garros opens its arms to those prepared to battle through the time and pain barrier.
Last year, France's Fabrice Santoro and compatriot Arnaud Clement set a world record for the longest tennis match ever played - a whopping six hours and 33 minutes for Santoro to clinch a 6-4, 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 3-6, 16-14 win.
It surpassed the previous mark, a Davis Cup tie between American John McEnroe and Swede Mats Wilander in 1982, which lasted six hours and 22 minutes.
Elsewhere, the strains are beginning to tell. Spanish teenager Rafael Nadal, who has blitzed his way to five clay court titles in 2005, had to skip the Hamburg Masters because of a blistered hand caused by his five-set marathon win over Guillermo Coria in the Rome Masters.
Even world number one Roger Federer is not immune. He has suffered from tendinitis in both feet and missed the Rome Masters. The Swiss star plays with his feet strapped.
It's the same injury which has sidelined Morocco's Younes El-Aynaoui and leading sports doctors insist it's a problem related to the sapping demands of the tour.
Former world number one Clijsters has said she will not risk long term damage to her injured knee by rushing to take part in the French Open. The 21-year-old Belgian damaged her right knee in Berlin two weeks ago and her chances of playing at Roland Garros, where she was runner-up in 2001 and 2003, are still slim with her knee heavily bandaged.
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