When Maria Sharapova famously described the Roland Garros clay as feeling like a "cow on ice" back in 2007, she was giving voice to a frustration that has haunted tennis players for decades. Now, Andrey Rublev has stepped up to reveal an even more concerning reality about the Parisian courts ahead of this year's French Open.

In a candid interview with Championat, the world No. 14 was asked whether the Italian clay courts reminded him of the conditions at Roland Garros. His answer was unequivocal: "No, I don't see any similarities at all." But Rublev didn't stop there—he went on to deliver a blunt assessment of how the French Open courts have evolved in recent years, and the picture he paints is far from reassuring.

"I don't know, now in recent years in Paris, especially if you don't play at the stadium, then it's like you're not playing on clay at all—it's slippery, concrete, and there is not much sand itself. I don't even know what it looks like… Nothing."

According to Rublev, the gap between the main stadium courts and the smaller outside courts has grown dramatically, particularly since the pandemic. "They have changed somehow. Even before the pandemic, if you are at the stadium, then you are already playing there, there is already a little more clay, and it turns out to be some kind of more clay surface. And there is almost no sand on small courts. I don't know, we'll see how it will be this year. But for the last two or three years, there seems to be no soil there at all."

This disparity has become a major talking point among players. Court preparation staff have noted that Court Philippe-Chatrier is typically the last court to be prepared before the tournament begins, meaning those battling through qualifying rounds often face the most challenging conditions. For players and fans alike, the question remains: as the French Open evolves, is the legendary red clay of Paris losing its true character?