5 Best Clay Court Tennis Shoes in 2023

Brenton Barker
Brenton Barker on
5 Best Clay Court Tennis Shoes in 2023
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Investing in a dependable, performance-ready tennis shoe that matches you step by step is highly recommended. This is especially true when playing tennis on a clay court. This type of surface requires a reliable pair that offers more stability, lateral support, and solid grip.

Clay courts can be pretty challenging even to seasoned professional players. Great pros like Roger Federer or Daniil Medvedev had some hard times playing on dusty clay courts, except, of course, the fantastic king of clay -- Rafael Nadal.

To help you pick the perfect pair for your style or other specific needs, we’ve listed below the best clay court tennis shoes available today. We have tested all pairs in the lab and in the clay court for this guide. Head on to take a closer look at our top picks.

How we test clay court tennis shoes

For this selection, we carefully analyze all the footwear in the catalog. This includes scrutinizing each shoe inside the RunRepeat testing lab. We double-check the materials, weigh and qualify all technical components found in the footwear. We also test them in actual games of tennis.

Our whole approach includes:

  • Procuring all the clay court tennis kicks from a wide variety of brands using our own money. We do not accept sponsorships from third parties to keep our reviews 100% objective.
  • Subjecting the shoes to hardcore tennis matches to assess their out-of-the-box comfort, fit, support, and break-in period. We take note of the traction, cushioning, weight, breathability, responsiveness, durability, et cetera.
  • Each shoe profile is further supplemented by feedback from pros, other shoe experts, and avid club players.

Aside from qualitative reports of the shoes' performance, all the pairs of clay court tennis shoes are assigned a CoreScore ranging from 0 to 100. The overall rating is the weighted average based on the aggregated data above.

Best clay court tennis shoes overall

ASICS Court FF 2
89
Superb!

What makes it the best?

ASICS Court FF 2 is for every aggressive player who wishes to push their clay games a notch higher. It's a clay-oriented upgrade to the all-court ASICS Gel Court FF and a modified version of the ASICS Court FF 2 at a reasonably-priced package. This dynamic speed trainer from ASICS wins hearts for its supportive, durable, flexible, and comfy components, all in a lightweight build.

Pros

  • Secure fit
  • Stable midfoot
  • Prevents lateral rollover
  • Flexible rubber
  • Lightweight
  • Responsive
  • Hard-wearing sole
  • Reinforced toe
  • Budget-friendly

Cons

  • No outsole durability
  • Thin laces
Full review of ASICS Court FF 2

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Men
Women
Any color
White (1041A089100)
Mako Blue/White (1041A083400)
White Mako Blue (1041A083102)
Black/White (1041A083001)
White (1041A083100)
Black Green Gecko (1041A083005)
Weiß Rot 110 (1041A202110)

Best stability clay court tennis shoes

What makes it the best?

The NikeCourt Zoom NXT keeps you light and bouncy on your toes while also making sure that your feet remain stable shifting side-to-side. It is highly efficient on both hard and clay courts, helping you stop on a dime or slide to quickly reach for the ball. The eye-catching hole in the midsole helps to shave some weight off the shoe, adding a futuristic vibe to this Nike tennis shoe.

Pros

  • Springy on the toes
  • Great lateral stability
  • Comfortable in-shoe feel
  • Works on all courts
  • Great for wide feet
  • Durable outsole and toecap
  • Uncanny traction
  • Breathable
  • Visually appealing

Cons

  • Loose for narrow feet
  • Lace eyelets rip easily
  • Mesh rips on hard court
Full review of NikeCourt Zoom NXT

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Men
Women
Any color
Blue (DH0219402)
White (DV3276100)
Gray (DV3276001)
Black (DH2495010)
White (DV3276101)

Best cushioned clay court tennis shoes

What makes it the best?

The Adidas Defiant Generation lets its wearers maneuver around the court with impeccable comfort and stunning style. It is a great shoe for those who want something for casual plays as it gives a solid performance all around. With a price that never fails to impress, it is a solid pick that holds more value than meets the eye.

Pros

  • Supple uppers
  • Grips a variety of surfaces well
  • Plush cushioning
  • Amazing value
  • Breezy even when it’s hot
  • Can take a beating
  • Eyecatching looks

Cons

  • Not for aggressive movements
  • Narrow fit
Full review of Adidas Defiant Generation

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Men
Women
Any color
Pulaqu Cblack Altblu (GW4973)
Multicoloured (GW2975)

Best lightweight clay court tennis shoes

Adidas Avacourt
81
Good!

What makes it the best?

The Avacourt is a female-friendly sneaker that takes the shape of a lady’s foot as well as the way female players tend to move on the court into account. Sported by Garbiñe Muguruza, among other famous athletes, the shoe lives up to the hype. It requires no break-in and is considered one of the most comfortable tennis shoes from Adidas, mainly thanks to the use of the Bounce cushioning.

Pros

  • Needs no break-in
  • Well-fitting with roomy toebox
  • Stays comfortable for hours
  • Soft yet responsive cushioning
  • Feels supportive
  • Lightweight on the foot
  • Excellent traction
  • Aesthetically pleasing

Cons

  • Tongue digs into the ankle
  • Laces are too long
  • Durability could be better
  • Lacks breathability
Full review of Adidas Avacourt

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Men
Women
Any color
Pulse Blue/White/Mint Ton (Clay) (GV9527)
Mint Ton/White/Orbit Grey (Parley) (GX6333)
White-active Purple-semi Solar Green (GZ3750)

Best speed clay court tennis shoes

What makes it the best?

If you want ultimate protection on the court, the ASICS Gel Resolution 8 Clay is a no-brainer. Even more, it offers bounce in each step, making your performance lively and energetic. What's more is it pampers the feet without being overbearing. It has so much cushion with minimal weight.

Pros

  • Lightweight
  • Responsive
  • Durable
  • Protective
  • Breathable
  • Mutes out impact
  • Sufficient underfoot support

Cons

  • A bit tight
Full review of ASICS Gel Resolution 8 Clay

Today's best price

Men
Women
Any color
Velvet Pine/White (1041A076300)
Blue (1041A076400)
White/Green Gecko (1041A076105)
Indigo Fog White (1041A076500)

Comparison of the 5 best clay court tennis shoes

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Best
CoreScore
Users rating
Experts
Best price
Ranking
Popularity
# of colorways
Author
Brenton Barker
Brenton Barker

Brenton is an Australian with 20 years of experience coaching WTA and ATP professional tennis players, whom have won a total of 10 international professional Tournaments. Brenton holds a Degree in Sports Coaching and was the former Head Tennis Coach at the Japanese Government Sports Science Institute. Brenton was also a former Manager & Head Coach of Australia’s Governing Sporting Body, Tennis Australia, and has been a Dunlop International Advisory Board Member since 2010. Additionally, Brenton was the Head of Player development for World No 7 and two-time Grand Slam Champion Johan Kriek.