The Jensen Zone
Long Island! Spring is here and nothing says spring to a tennis player more than playing in the mud … tennis slang for playing on clay, and with the French Open around the corner, I thought it would be good to catch up on our clay court play book.
There is a ton of clay on Long Island, so watching the French Open and those first-class mud rollers play serious dirt ball can make us all better.
The first thing I need you to think about before you play on the clay this season is your equipment. Make sure you have some seriously good treads on those sneakers to grip this slippery surface. Those worn down, hard court shoes may feel fine, but if you take them on the clay court, you will look like Roadrunner spinning out of control. Go into the pro shop and have your sticks restrung about five to seven lbs. looser. The heavier conditions will demand more pop and performance from your stick. Fast courts need a tighter and more controlled string job, while slower courts need a more loosely strung frame for more power.
Now the mental side of playing in the mud… I love clay because it is a game of thought and a game of will over your opponent. On faster surfaces, one big shot can be the difference. On clay, a series of well-placed shots is what is needed to win points. A clay court player is a steady and smart player. Use a combination of power and finesse play to win on the slow surface.
When you watch the French Open, watch how the European and South American players slide into their shots, while the U.S. players slide after they hit their shots. This is the main reason Americans have struggled at the French Open. Tennis is a game of movement, but also a game of recovery after the shot is hit. The international players grow up on clay and learn how to move to and recover from shots on red clay at a very young age. Our green clay is a fast cousin of the slower red clay, but not the same. Use the great TV coverage of the French Open to learn how to play and move in the mud!
Here’s a secret I have never told anyone before … my brother Murphy and I won the French Open Doubles Title in 1993, and with Patrick McEnroe, I won a French Open Junior Doubles Title in 1984. I had the same movement issues all U.S. players have … the secret was that I wore my Wimbledon Grass Court shoes with nubs on the bottom for traction and that gave me a huge edge. Today, grasscourt shoes are not allowed on clay, but I was long gone off the tour when the officials got wise to what I was doing!!!
Until next time … winners go for winners, and I want you going for the lines!
