Clay Court Statistics Overview
Stanley Matthews has found clay courts difficult, recording 4–12 across 16 matches (25.0%). The numbers point to a surface that has not consistently suited the game — a key area of opportunity on the calendar.
At Grand Slam level (Roland Garros): Stanley Matthews has struggled at Grand Slam level on clay: 1–3 (25.0%) in 4 matches. The best-of-five format and elite fields make this the toughest benchmark on this surface.
By format on clay — best-of-five: 1–7 (12.5%); best-of-three: 3–5 (37.5%). Markedly stronger in three-set formats; the win rate drops noticeably in five-setters, which has direct implications for Grand Slam performance on clay.
Best season: 1969 — 3–4 (42.9%) from 7 matches. The best single-season display to date — a useful reference point as the clay record continues to develop.
Stanley Matthews Clay Court Record by Year
| Year | W | L | Win% | Titles | Finals | SF | QF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 1 | 2 | 33.3% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1971 | 0 | 2 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1970 | 0 | 2 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1969 | 3 | 4 | 42.9% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1968 | 0 | 2 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Recent Clay Court Matches
| Date | Result | Opponent | Tournament | Round | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972-07-24 | Loss | Jun Kamiwazumi | Hilversum | R32 | 4-6 6-4 6-2 |
| 1972-07-24 | Win | Rolf Thung | Hilversum | R64 | 10-8 6-4 |
| 1972-03-27 | Loss | Geza Varga | Monte-Carlo | R64 | 6-0 6-0 |
| 1971-05-24 | Loss | Adriano Panatta | Roland Garros | R128 | 6-3 6-3 7-5 |
| 1971-04-28 | Loss | Boro Jovanovic | Davis Cup EUR R1: YUG vs GBR | RR | 6-2 6-4 9-11 2-6 6-4 |
| 1970-08-10 | Loss | Phil Dent | Hamburg | R64 | 6-2 6-4 6-4 |
| 1970-05-25 | Loss | Hans-Joachim Ploetz | Roland Garros | R128 | 6-2 5-7 6-2 3-6 6-3 |
| 1969-07-28 | Win | Piet van Eysden | Hilversum | R64 | 6-4 5-7 6-2 |
| 1969-07-28 | Loss | Jan Kukal | Hilversum | R32 | 9-7 6-3 |
| 1969-05-26 | Loss | Georges Goven | Roland Garros | R64 | 8-6 6-8 6-3 6-1 |
Stanley Matthews
Matches — Clay